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Police break up Israel-Gaza protest on University of Georgia campus

Fletcher Page, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on

Published in News & Features

ATHENS — Police broke up a protest of Israel’s war in Gaza on the campus of the University of Georgia on Monday morning, detaining several young demonstrators.

Around two dozen young protesters gathered on the Old College Lawn of the North Campus early Monday, some setting up tents, as the state’s flagship university became the latest U.S. college roiled by student demonstrations.

Campus police, backed up by Georgia State Patrol officers, responded quickly, leading several protesters away in handcuffs.

“Disperse at this time or you will be arrested,” UGA police chief Jeffrey L. Clark told demonstrators. “Anyone who does not do so will be arrested for criminal trespass.”

By 9 a.m., protesters had either been detained or dispersed. Tents, tables, signs, cases of bottled water and snacks also had been removed.

By around 9:30 a.m., campus and state patrol officers had left the site of the protest.

 

A group of protesters briefly tried to reorganize at the nearby UGA Arch entrance, before that protest dissipated.

Students for Justice in Palestine, a student group on UGA’s campus, helped organize Monday’s protest.

In a statement early Monday, the group accused Israel of “genocide” in its war in Gaza and said that protesters “demand university solidarity, protection, and the disclosure and divestment of financial relationships with zionist organizations.”

Hundreds of students protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza have been arrested this month at colleges across the U.S., including over the weekend. Protesters were arrested on Emory University’s campus in Atlanta late last week. Demonstrations also took place at Kennesaw State University.

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©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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