New York April 27. 2024 (Saba) - An American pro-Palestinian organization filed a federal civil rights complaint against Columbia University in New York State, following the arrest of dozens of anti-war protesters on Gaza last week after the university called the police to disperse demonstrators who had set up a camp on the university campus.
According to what was reported by the "Palestine Today" news agency on Saturday, the "Palestine Legal Organization", an entity that seeks to protect the right to speak publicly on behalf of Palestinians in the United States, urged the Ministry of Education to investigate the university's practices, which it accuses of discriminating against supporters of the Palestinians.
Last week, Columbia University attempted to forcefully disperse demonstrations on campus when university president Nemat Minouche Shafik took the exceptional step of summoning New York City police to enter the campus, which sparked the anger of many human rights groups, students and faculty members.
More than 100 people were arrested, which brought back memories of anti-Vietnam War demonstrations at the university more than 50 years ago.
Protests have continued since then at Columbia University and have spread to other American universities, where authorities arrested hundreds last week.
Columbia University postponed the deadline set for Friday for students opposed to the war in Gaza to break up the sit-in on campus.
The university president's office backed away from the deadline it had set for dismantling the tents set up by about 200 pro-Palestinian students.
The office of university president Minouche Shafik said in a statement: “The negotiations have made progress and are continuing as planned,” adding: “We have our demands, and they have their demands,” denying the request for police intervention.
One of the students participating in the pro-Palestinian demonstration, who introduced herself as Mimi, said: “They describe us as terrorists, and treat us as violent...but the only tool we have is our voices.”
Z.E
resource : Saba
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