Following a series of confrontations with law enforcement, widespread arrests, and a stern directive from the White House, pro-Palestinian demonstrations on US campuses experienced a noticeable decrease in activity on Friday.
Police in Manhattan intervened to disband an encampment at New York University, as depicted in footage shared on social media, showing protesters complying with the dispersal orders.
While protests over Israel's occupation of Palestine and attack on Gaza have proliferated globally, demonstrations on American campuses have faced increasing pressure from university administrations to disperse, especially with the approach of final exams and graduation ceremonies.
At the University of Chicago, talks between administrators and protesters failed to yield a compromise, prompting discussions about potential intervention to clear an encampment.
Earlier on the same day, counter-protesters wielding American flags confronted a pro-Palestinian group at the University of Chicago, leading to police intervention to prevent clashes.
Over 2,000 arrests have been made across the country in the past fortnight, with some incidents involving violent altercations with law enforcement, prompting concerns about excessive force.
President Biden, in his first extensive comments on the protests, emphasized the importance of maintaining order while respecting the right to dissent.
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona pledged to investigate reports of anti-Semitism aggressively, following accusations of such sentiments among the protesters.
Similar student demonstrations have emerged worldwide, including in Australia, France, Mexico, and Canada, indicating the global resonance of the issue.
In Paris, police dispersed students staging a sit-in at the Sciences Po University, while at Canada's McGill University, an encampment persisted despite administrative demands for its removal.