The anti-Jewish and anti-Israel activities on university campuses in the United States are escalating, following high-profile protests at Columbia University in New York and the University of Texas at Austin. On Thursday, April 25th, protests erupted at Emory University in Atlanta, leading to several arrests.
According to a report by Fox 5 News in Atlanta, an organization called Mondowiess claimed responsibility for the protest at Emory. The group, made up of university students across Atlanta, united to resist “Cop City” (referring to a police training center planned in Atlanta) and what they describe as the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. Their demand is for all colleges and universities in Atlanta to completely divest from Israeli apartheid and the police training center.
Laura Diamond, Assistant Vice President of Communications at Emory University, issued the following statement regarding the protests:
“On Thursday morning, dozens of protesters stormed the Emory University campus and set up tents on the quad. These individuals are not members of our community. They are activists attempting to disrupt our university while our students are completing their courses and preparing for exams. Emory University does not tolerate destructive behavior or any other criminal activity on campus. Emory Police Department ordered the group to leave and contacted the Atlanta Police Department for assistance.”
Officers from the Atlanta Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol were dispatched to help Emory police disperse the protesters from the university campus. Authorities used batons and tear gas to control the crowd, reportedly arresting at least a dozen protesters who were handcuffed and taken away, including the head of the philosophy department at the university, Noelle McAfee. It is currently unclear whether they will face charges.