Gaza war university protests: Map and updates

A wave of Gaza war protests that swept U.S. college campuses last month continues to linger as universities try to balance free speech rights against the need to conduct classes.

While many of the protests are focused on the New York City and Los Angeles communities, protest encampments have formed at campuses across the U.S.

At least 2,000 people have been arrested at UCLA, Columbia, Yale and elsewhere as campus police and law enforcement have been called in to remove the encampments, many of which violate school policies – though, in a few cases, administrators have come to agreements with demonstrators and avoided drastic measures.

Why are people protesting?

Many of the demonstrators are calling for their schools – some of which have large endowments – to sever financial ties with Israel or Israeli-linked firms in the wake of Israel's response to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas.

Other demonstrators are going further, calling for a ceasefire or even an independent Palestinian state.

The protests have gotten violent in some locations when counter-protesters showed up to voice support for Israel, though not all have ended with clashes. 

In some locations, police were called in to clear the protesters, usually with force. A few demonstrations have continued peacefully without disruption.

Map: What colleges have seen protests

List: University protest updates

New York University, Manhattan

• May 3: Members of the NYPD arrived Friday morning at NYU to disperse the pro-Palestinian encampments on the campus at the request of the school, FOX 5 reported. Over the weekend, NYU officials had given student protesters an ultimatum: take down tent city or face "conduct charges."

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

• May 2: U of M Interim President Jeff Ettinger announced an agreement with student protesters has been reached he says will allow campus buildings to reopen and clear the encampment, FOX 9 reported. The agreement also states the student coalition will not organize any disruptions to the upcoming exams or commencement ceremony, Ettinger said in a letter to students, faculty and staff.

UCLA, Los Angeles

• May 2: Police began to move in on pro-Palestine protesters around 3 a.m. local time on Thursday on UCLA's campus after demonstrators refused to clear out. Authorities previously declared an unlawful assembly and an order was issued Wednesday night to leave. More than 100 people were arrested, FOX 11 reported.

Portland State University

• May 2: Police officers in riot gear were sent to clear out an encampment at the university library on Thursday, leading to a confrontation between the officers and several agitators wielding makeshift shields. The Portland Police Bureau said "several arrests" were made at the library as officers work to clear the encampment.

Rutgers University, New Brunswick

• May 2: Rutgers on Thursday announced that final exams and other academic activities scheduled on its College Avenue campus in New Brunswick would be postponed because of protesters, who formed an encampment on Thursday, FOX News reported.

Dartmouth College, Hanover

• May 2: 90 people were arrested after ignoring orders from Hanover police and state police to disperse an encampment on the Dartmouth Green early Thursday morning, FOX 25 reported.

Columbia University, Manhattan

• May 1: NYPD officers stormed Columbia’s Hamilton Hall on Tuesday night, entering through a window. Pro-Palestinian protesters had seized the administration building over 20 hours earlier. Nearly 300 people were arrested between Columbia and CCNY, FOX 5 NY reported.

Fordham University, The Bronx

• May 1: Students at Fordham began forming "Gaza solidarity" encampments early Wednesday, FOX News reported.

University of Texas at Dallas

• May 1: At least 20 people were arrested after law enforcement tore down a Pro-Palestinian encampment at UT Dallas, FOX 4 reported. Pro-Palestinian protesters were defiant as tents were removed, and people were taken away in zip ties.

Brown University, Providence

• May 1: Demonstrators said they would close their encampment in exchange for administrators taking a vote to consider divestment from Israel in October. The compromise appeared to mark the first time a U.S. college has agreed to vote on divestment in the wake of the protests, FOX News reported.

Tulane University, New Orleans

• May 1: Tulane University announced arrests have been made and students have been suspended as "unlawful" protests continued on the New Orleans campus, FOX News reported.

Cal State Polytechnic, Humboldt

• May 1: California Polytechnic State University at Humboldt continues its cleanup and recovery process following the illegal occupation of two campus buildings and surrounding areas since April 22, the university said Tuesday evening, FOX News reported.

DePaul University, Chicago

• May 1: DePaul University students announced their plans for the second day of encampment in solidarity with Gaza on Tuesday. The tents set up throughout the quad at the school's Lincoln Park campus were allowed to stay despite violating university policy, FOX 32 reported.

University of Florida, Gainesville

• May 1: Nine protesters were arrested at the University of Florida amid pro-Palestinian demonstrations, the university confirmed to FOX 35.

University of Wisconsin-Madison

• May 1: At least a dozen people were taken into custody on Wednesday, May 1 as UW-Madison police started removing tents from the encampment on Library Mall, FOX 6 reported.

University of Arizona

• May 1: As protests continue at the University of Arizona, police clashed with demonstrators and began making arrests, FOX News reported.

George Washington University, Washington

• May 1: Pro-Palestinian protests at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. have shown no signs of letting up as city leaders face criticism for their response as the demonstrations enter day seven, FOX 5 reported.

Ohio State University, Columbus

• May 1: At least two dozen people were arrested during multiple protests on the OSU campus last week, most of whom are not affiliated with the university, FOX 28 reported.

University of North Carolina

• April 30: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill confirmed approximately 30 anti-Israel demonstrators were detained Tuesday morning for refusing to leave an encampment protest set up on campus, FOX News reported.

City College of New York, Manhattan

• April 30: CUNY said Tuesday morning that calling in the NYPD to respond to protests was because of "specific and repeated acts of violence and vandalism" and not peaceful protests, FOX News reported.

University of Chicago

• April 30: Students at the University of Chicago joined the movement on Monday by creating an encampment at their Hyde Park campus to stand in solidarity with Gaza. Protesting continued Tuesday, FOX 32 reported.

University of South Florida, Tampa

• April 30: Ten protesters, including one who was found with a gun, were arrested on the University of South Florida's main campus after a pro-Palestinian rally, FOX 13 reported.

University of Texas, Austin

• April 30: People have been camped outside the Travis County Jail all day Tuesday, waiting for protesters to be released. On Monday, nearly 80 people were arrested on the University of Texas at Austin campus, FOX 7 reported.

University of Southern California, Los Angeles

• April 30: Organizers of pro-Palestinian protests at USC held a second day of meetings with university President Carol Folt Tuesday to discuss their demands such as divesting from companies with interests in Israel and suspending study-abroad programs in the area, with no reported progress toward any agreements, FOX LA reported.

Cornell University, Ithaca

• April 30: The protest at Cornell University entered its sixth day as students have remained in the encampment at the school’s arts quad calling for Palestinians to be liberated from Israel, WBNG reported.

University of Utah, Salt Lake City

• April 30: Police declared an unlawful assembly on the University of Utah campus Monday night in response to demonstrations; 17 people were arrested, FOX News reported.

University of New Mexico

• April 30: Police were able to clear students and protests from the University of New Mexico’s student union building early Tuesday morning, KRQE reported.

Yale University, New Haven

• April 30: Yale University officials said all protesters at an anti-Israel encampment on Cross Campus chose to leave the area after facing potential suspension and arrest, FOX News reported.

Princeton University, New Jersey

• April 29: Prince University’s Public Safety officers on Monday arrested students who occupied Clio Hall, per the school’s paper, FOX News reported.

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond

• April 29: VCU announced Monday night that anti-Israel demonstrators on campus had "violated several university policies" and were instructed to leave the area. Video shows officers charging the protesters to disburse their encampment, FOX 17 reported.

Wesleyan University, Middletown

• April 29: Wesleyan University students joined protests on campuses across the nation, demanding the liberal arts college divest from weapons manufacturers profiting from the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the Middletown Press reported.

University of Georgia, Athens

• April 29: University of Georgia police and Georgia State Patrol troopers arrested multiple demonstrators during a pro-Palestine protest at the Athens campus on Monday morning, FOX 5 reported.

Washington University in St. Louis

• April 29: As of Monday, no one is facing criminal charges after 100 people were arrested over the weekend for participating in anti-war protests, FOX 2 reported. Twenty-three students and four faculty members were among those taken into custody.

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

• April 29: The usual day-to-day operations at UPenn remain business as usual, except for a large pro-Palestinian encampment in the middle of the campus, with student protestors demanding the University make changes, FOX News reported.

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg

• April 29: In a statement to Fox News Digital, Virginia Tech officials said 82 protesters were arrested, including 53 current Virginia Tech students. They were subsequently charged with trespassing.

Northwestern University, Evanston

• April 29: Since early Thursday morning, pro-Palestinian student protesters at Northwestern University have been camping out in Deering Meadow. Monday afternoon, university officials announced they had come to an agreement with those leading the encampment, FOX 32 reported.

Indiana University, Bloomington

• April 29: More than 50 demonstrators were arrested, many complaining that their tents, personal items and food stuffs were destroyed, and were charged with misdemeanors before being released from brief custody Thursday and Saturday, FOX 59 reported.

Emerson College, Boston

• April 28: Emerson College will not take disciplinary action against students arrested as part of a pro-Palestinian protest encampment that was dispersed by Boston police last week, its president said in a letter to the college community, MassLive reported.

University of California Berkeley

• April 26: As the final day of classes at UC Berkeley came to a close on Friday, pro-Palestinian protesters showed no signs of backing down, KTVU reported.

University of Colorado, Denver

• April 26: Police officers arrested approximately 40 people at a pro-Palestine demonstration at the Auraria Campus in Denver on Friday after telling the demonstrators they needed to disperse, FOX 21 reported.

Emory University, Atlanta

• April 25: Emory University officials say 28 people were arrested, including 20 members of the Emory community, in a clash between pro-Palestinian protesters and those against the Atlanta training facility and law enforcement on Thursday morning, FOX 5 reported.

Stanford University

• April 25: A protest is in full swing at Stanford University, calling for the school to divest from Israel, according to a coalition supporting the liberation of Palestine, KTVU reports.

Harvard University, Cambridge

• April 22: Harvard University has closed Harvard Yard at the heart of its campus and is restricting access to the outside area until Friday, according to a report cited by FOX News.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

• April 22: An encampment of green tents and opponents of the school's investment in Israel was set up at the beginning of the week as students sought to push the city to divest. Banners reading "Encampment for Gaza! Divest now!" were spread out around the venue, FOX 2 reported.