NYPD arrests multitude of pro-Palestine students at NYU campus USA universities have been a hotspot for pro Palestine debates and a focal point for anti-Israel protests since October 7 Presstv USA police have arrested a multitude of pro-Palestinian protesters and students against Israel's genocidal war on the besieged Gaza Strip. Media reports said on Tuesday New York Police Department NYPD officers began detaining students who had set up a pro-Palestine protest encampment at New York University NYU campus in mid-town Manhattan. The student arrests according to a NYU spokesperson was at the behest of the university after additional protesters many of whom were not thought to be affiliated with NYU suddenly breached the barriers erected around the encampment. The spokesperson said in a statement on the schools website on Monday that the breach of the barriers of the encampment dramatically changed the situation prompting university officials to call the police. The encampment had been set up by the NYU Palestine Solidarity Coalition a newly formed on campus group comprising students and faculty from Students for Justice in Palestine, Faculty for Justice in Palestine, Law Students for Justice in Palestine, Shut it Down, NYU Jews Against Zionism and more than 20 other on-campus groups. The spokesperson said 'Given the foregoing and the safety issues raised by the breach we asked for assistance from the NYPD. The police urged those on the plaza to leave peacefully but ultimately made a number of arrests'. NYU student-run newspaper Washington Square News published an update saying all visible protesters have either dispersed or been arrested. Students and faculty members were arrested by hundreds of policemen on charges of trespassing, media reported. USA universities have been a hotspot for pro-Palestine debates and a focal point for anti-Israel protests since October 7. Pro-Palestine student rallies, over the Israeli war on Gaza, also took place at Yale, Columbia University and other campuses. Columbia's President Nemat Minouche Shafik announced in an official statement that all classes will be held virtually on Monday and that faculty and staff who can work remotely should do so. Monday marks Passover a major Jewish holiday. Over the past days there have been too many examples of intimidating and harassing behaviour on our campus. Anti-Semitic language like any other language that is used to hurt and frighten people, is un-acceptable and appropriate action will be taken Shafik said in a statement. Days before the latest escalation in tensions on campus, leaders of Columbia University including Shafik appeared before a committee in the Congress to face questions about the alleged anti-Semitism on campus. Before that Shafik had pledged on April 17 to take firm action to combat anti-Semitism. She said Columbia had already suspended 15 students and had six on disciplinary probation. These are more disciplinary actions that have been taken, than have probably been in the whole last decade at Columbia. And I promise you from the messages I'm hearing from students, that they are getting the message violations of our policies will have consequences, Shafik said. Pro-Palestinian protesters accuse Columbia of stifling their freedom of expression. In November Columbia suspended Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. In March the New York Civil Liberties Union said it would sue Columbia over the suspensions. In January the university banned a group of individuals from campus after they were accused of being involved in spraying pro-Palestinian protesters with a foul smelling chemicals. NYPD on Thursday arrested more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters from Columbia on charges of trespassing. At Yale campus in New Haven, Connecticut, 60 people including at least 47 student protesters were arrested for trespassing after they blocked traffic around campus according to a statement by Yale University President Peter Salovey on Monday. A pro-Palestinian encampment has been set up in Yale since Friday. President Joe Biden has described the blatant anti-Semitism at Columbia University, reprehensible and dangerous, saying it has absolutely no place on college campuses or anywhere in our country. But human rights activists and pro-Palestine protesters from across the globe have been calling for an immediate implementation of a complete ceasefire in Gaza. Francesca Albanese the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Palestine, denounced the student arrests in an X post on Monday. What lessons are Western universities and governments imparting to their young citizens and students, when they attack the very values and rights that are said to be foundational to Western societies.