Student protests calling for divestment from Israel on university campuses around the United States are the latest sign of public discontent with the Israel-Palestine conflict. Some notable violent clashes have recently taken place, such as on the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, where demonstrators and counter-demonstrators fought at a student encampment overnight on 30 April. However, between 7 October and 3 May, the overwhelming majority of student demonstrations — 97% — have remained peaceful.1Dani Anguiano, ‘UCLA students describe violent attack on Gaza protest encampment: ‘It was terrifying’’ The Guardian, 2 May 2024
Demonstrations involving students now make up more than 40% of all US demonstration activity related to the conflict since it reignited in October 2023. Over 94% of the more than 1,360 student demonstrations held between 7 October 2023 and 3 May 2024 have shown support for Palestine.
The arrest of over 100 students at Columbia University in New York around 18 April heralded a new wave of campus demonstrations across 36 states.2Collin Binkley, Steve Leblanc, and Bianca Vázquez Toness, ‘Students protesting on campuses across US ask colleges to cut investments supporting Israel,’ Associated Press, 24 April 2024 Pro-Palestine demonstrations involving students in the US increased more than five times in April compared to March, and continued to be elevated in the first days of May (see graph below).3ACLED data are currently updated to 3 May 2024, as the US dataset is updated weekly on Tuesdays.
California has been the main student protest battleground since the Israel-Palestine conflict flared up in and around Gaza in October. California has also seen the largest amount of pro-Palestine demonstrations since October overall, while New York has hosted the highest number of pro-Israel demonstrations. However, ACLED records the highest number of counter-demonstrations staged against pro-Palestine or pro-Israel demonstrations in New York. New York also accounts for 25% of Israel-Palestine conflict-related demonstrations with police intervention since October (see map below).
Police intervention against conflict-related student demonstrations increased by more than eight times in April compared to March. Since October, police have arrested demonstrators and physically dispersed crowds much more frequently at demonstrations with counter-demonstrators. However, in cases where student demonstrators have gathered unopposed, police have intervened against pro-Palestine demonstrations more than five-and-a-half times as often as pro-Israel demonstrations.
For more ACLED coverage of US student protests, see the May 2 brief: Pro-Palestine US Student protests nearly triple in April.
For more of ACLED’s US coverage:
- United States & Canada Regional Overview | SPECIAL FOCUS: US Campus Demonstrations Rise in the Face of a Sharper Police Crackdown
- US Crisis Monitor
- Beyond the Blue Wall: Exploring the Risks of Political Unrest in the 2024 Presidential Election
- Will Past US Election Turbulence Strike Again in 2024?
For global demonstration trends related to the Israel-Palestine conflict, see this infographic on the first 20 days since fighting erupted.
Visuals produced by Ciro Murillo.
