2400+ seized, hunger strike, deals struck: Latest on Gaza war protests

The "Student Spring" protests have continued to rock dozens of the universities and college campuses across the United States — demonstrations that observers say are biggest and most prolonged since the anti-Vietnam war protests in the 1960s and 70s, and elsewhere.

On some campuses, students remained in their tents despite threats of crackdown by police. Elsewhere, they started a hunger strike.

So far, more than 2,400 people have been arrested nationwide from some 46 universities, according to Associated Press tally, while multiple universities reached deals with their students to wind up "Gaza Solidarity Encampment."

Latest developments👇

Princeton students on hunger strike

A group of pro-Palestine students at the Princeton University have begun a hunger strike to pressure administrators to meet their demands.

"This strike is a response to the administration's refusal to engage with our demands for dissociation and divestment from Israel," one of the students participating in the protest at the Ivy League school in New Jersey said in a video posted on X.

Five students each read out parts of a joint statement.

"We refuse to be silenced by the university administration's intimidation and repression tactics. We struggle together in solidarity with the people of Palestine. We commit our bodies to their liberation," she added.

It is unclear how long the students are planning to stage the hunger strike, but a sign-up sheet for newcomers to join says people can join for the "Full 7-Day Hunger Strike."

The students who made the announcement said they would carry out the protest "until the following demands are met."

The demands include meeting with students to discuss "disclosure, divestment and a full academic and cultural boycott of Israel," a complete amnesty for protesters, and the reversal of "all campus bans and evictions of students."

University of California under pressure from faculty, students

University of California in Los Angeles [UCLA] has been under pressure from faculty, who said in a statement that they "are horrified that the university administration has continued to disregard our students' safety and their right to express their views."

"The university went from permitting a violent mob to attack our students [on 4/30 to 5/1] to authorising law enforcement to brutalise the same students [on 5/2]."

Classes shifted again to online on Friday after the university reached an agreement with the students to end the encampment.

Protest continues at George Washington University

A pro-Palestine protest has continued on the George Washington University campus in Washington DC as crackdowns continue to spread across many campuses.

Students were offered food by activists, and Muslim protesters were seen carrying out Friday prayer.

University of Indiana designates protest zones

The Bloomington, Indiana, campus has designated protest zones outside Skjodt Assembly Hall and Memorial Stadium, where ceremonies were held on Friday for graduate students and Saturday for undergraduates.

Nearly 10,000 students are eligible to attend. A social media post circulating on Instagram urged protesters to wear "your keffiyeh along with your cap and gown" and walk out during Saturday's remarks by president Pamela Whitten.

Roughly 20 tents set up by protesters remained in place this week in an area known as Dunn Meadow, a mile from the stadium. Dozens of protesters have been arrested there recently, according to the Indiana Daily Student.

Police dismantle encampments at University of Chicago

At the University of Chicago, law enforcement appeared set to dismantle an encampment on Friday after the school's president said talks with protesters on a compromise had failed.

Before the clearing operation began, dozens of American flag-wielding counter-protesters showed up and confronted the pro-Palestine group, but police separated the two sides, local media reported.

Police crackdown on encampment at New York University

Police in Manhattan cleared an encampment at New York University after sunrise, with video posted to social media by an official showing protesters exiting their tents and dispersing when ordered to do so.

The scene appeared relatively calm compared to crackdowns at other campuses around the country.

University of Texas-Austin students put up with their finals after police crackdown

Students of the University of Texas at Austin had to deliver their end-of-year work following an aggressive crackdown by the police.

One of those students is Anne-Marie Jardine, who gave her final presentation with a bruised leg after police dragged her by the hair during a pro-Palestine protest on campus, according to the Texas Tribune.

"This is the best I can do right now," she said at the bottom of her research paper.

Texas has seen one of the most aggressive police crackdowns during the Students' Spring, with 79 people arrested in the second crackdown only.

Alumni to withhold donations until USC divests from Israel

More than 1,700 alumni from the University of Southern California have signed a letter supporting calls for university to divest from Israel.

"Students across the country are demanding an end to this genocide and Israel’s Zionist occupation of Palestine," the letter read.

"We, the undersigned alumni of the University of Southern California, stand with them. … In full support of the USC Divest from Death Coalition's demands, we call on USC to boycott, disclose, and divest from Israel and war-profiteering."

UC Riverside reaches deal with students

UCR Chancellor Kim Wilcox has said the deal to put an end to the encampment has been reached after administration's meetings with students went "productive, civil, and representative of multiple points of view on how to reach a resolution".

The deal includes the formation of a task force to explore removing Riverside's endowment from the broader UC system's management and investing those funds "in a manner that will be financially and ethically sound for the university with consideration to the companies involved in arms manufacturing and delivery."

"This agreement does not change the realities of the war in Gaza, or the need to address anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of bias and discrimination; however, I am grateful that we can have constructive and peaceful conversations on how to address these complex issues," Wilcox said.