Campus Protests Against Israel-Hamas Conflict and Cop City Spark Arrests, Violence at Emory University

Demonstrations have taken place at multiple universities across the United States in response to both Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza and opposition towards the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. At Emory University, over 28 people were arrested, including faculty members from various departments within the university community. The protesters claimed that they are demanding total institutional divestment from Israeli apartheid and Cop City at all colleges and universities in Atlanta due to complicity with genocide and police militarization by these institutions. Protests against the war between Israel-Hamas were also observed on college campuses such as Columbia University, New York University, The University of Texas, Morehouse College, and Kennesaw State University. However, protests at Emory turned violent when law enforcement officers removed protesters who refused to leave campus grounds despite warnings from police authorities that they were trespassing private property. Police also used pepper balls and Tasers during the confrontation as objects were thrown towards them by protestors, causing $10 million worth of damages incurred by protests against Cop City earlier this year according to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ statement. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed his support for law enforcement actions taken at Emory University while condemning radicals who promote terrorism and extremism that threaten the safety of students on college campuses, stating that they will be met with full force under the law. The ACLU of Georgia also issued a statement regarding protests across colleges in Georgia emphasizing their support for freedom to protest without retribution as essential to democracy while reminding institutions about encouraging viewpoints and free speech rather than suppressing them. Congressman Hank Johnson expressed his disapproval towards Governor Kemp’s deployment of the Georgia State Patrol onto Emory University campus, stating that outside agitators who seek to intimidate peaceful protesters have no place among legitimate protestors while reminding people about the First Amendment right for students to peacefully demonstrate against unjust policies and practices.