Dozens arrested at Yale and Columbia cancels classes amid protests

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters have been arrested at Yale University, hours after Columbia University cancelled classes due to an ongoing demo there.

Protesters at Columbia University. Pic: AP

A spokesperson for New Haven Police Department said officers arrested about 45 protesters at Yale and charged them with misdemeanour trespassing.

There were no reports of any violence or injuries.

All were released on the condition they would appear in court later.

Meanwhile, Columbia told students to stay at home in a bid to ease tensions at the New York City university following the arrests of more than 100 people last week.

Its president, Nemat Minouche Shafik, denounced antisemitic behaviour and harassment she said had occurred on university grounds.

“These tensions have been exploited and amplified by individuals who are not affiliated with Columbia who have come to campus to pursue their own agendas,” she said in a statement.

Some protesters have set up camp at the university, while demonstrations have also been going on at Boston’s Emerson College and nearby MIT.

President Biden condemned antisemitism on campuses in a statement on Sunday to mark the Jewish festival of Passover.

“Even in recent days, we’ve seen harassment and calls for violence against Jews,” said the US president.

“This blatant antisemitism is reprehensible and dangerous – and it has absolutely no place on college campuses, or anywhere in our country.”

New York City Police said on Monday they would not enter Columbia grounds unless a crime was taking place as the university is private property.

Deputy Commissioner Michael Gerber told reporters Columbia didn’t want officers stationed on campus, but there was a large police presence on the streets outside.

Police outside Columbia on 18 April. Pic: AP

“Any kind of violence is not going to be tolerated, any kind of property damage is not going to be tolerated,” he said.

“That includes harassment, or threats, or menacing or stalking, or anything like that that’s not protected by the First Amendment.”

Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard said there had so far been no “credible threats to any particular group of individuals coming from this protest or any other”.

Police were at the prestigious Yale University on Monday