After Columbia arrests, Rutgers pro-Palestinian encampment remained intact and peaceful

Hours after Columbia University sent NYPD officers onto its Ivy League campus overnight to arrest more than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators, Wednesday was quiet at a tent encampment of pro-Palestinian students on the Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick.

Rutgers students in scarlet and black commencement gowns posed for pictures across the street from a sprawl of tents on the Rutgers greens off College Avenue set up by students protesting Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

Three policemen stood at a distance.  Hand-painted banners saying "liberated zone" and "no cops" hung on the tents.

A group of students sat on rugs in a clearing between about 40 colorful tents. Many of the protesters wore kufiyahs, the Palestinian checkered scarf. Some in the group addressed a young woman leading the discussion on how to conduct their protests and interact with the public. The scene was peaceful — but not without confrontation, as they tried to pressure a reporter to leave.

And Thursday morning, the group said they were calling for final exams to be cancelled, "since there are no universities left in Gaza."

Back at Columbia, meanwhile, hundreds of faculty and graduate student workers rallied Wednesday outside the university’s only open entrance, protesting Columbia leadership’s decision hours earlier to send police on campus and arrest the pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

Protesters held signs, including “no cops on campus,” as police entered and exited the campus gates just feet away. Others held signs calling for university President Minouche Shafik to resign. Faculty members said access was heavily restricted, as campus was closed for a second day in the period before finals, open only to students living on campus and essential workers.

Explainer: Why are college students protesting nationwide? Campus demonstrations explained

The NYPD announced almost 300 arrests had taken place Tuesday at Columbia and City College — hours before Los Angeles police in riot gear swept onto UCLA's campus to break up a violent melee between dueling protesters as opposition to Israel's war in Gaza continued to roll through universities across the nation.

Solidarity encampments at Princeton, Rutgers

After police broke up an encampment in Princeton last week, arresting 13 students , and at other university campuses where encampments have escalated into confrontations, free speech advocates and students have called for the right to protest without being policed.

Any policing at the Rutgers encampment came from the young student protesters who pressured a reporter to leave.

“We have a media team to answer your questions,” said one Rutgers protester, who did not give a name. Photos were not permitted, she said.

A spokesperson arrived and explained that the protesters' meeting was private, for students to express themselves.

“Those are our community guidelines," said one in the group. "We want to make sure the same message gets across to media.”

This story contains information from USA Today

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: After Columbia arrests, Rutgers pro-Palestinian encampment remained intact and peaceful