VOA教育报道2024--US Colleges Have Different Outcomes from Protests over Gaza War

Police have removed encampments, released tear gas and arrested protesters on college campuses around the United States.

At Columbia University, New York City police twice came to the school to arrest those who set up camps and occupied a building to protest Israel's war in Gaza. Several hundred people have been arrested. Some students have been suspended and threatened with expulsion. Police are now stationed all day and night on campus.

Early Thursday, police began to remove a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The Reuters news agency reported several loud explosions during the clash. Some demonstrators carried shields and umbrellas to block the police officers, shouting, "push them back." Others surrendered and were moved with their hands over their heads by police. The arrests came one day after violence broke out between pro-Palestinian protesters and those who support Israel.

A different result at Berkeley

Nearly 600 kilometers north, the situation has been very different at the University of California, Berkeley. Student demonstrations¹ have taken place so far without arrests or disruption to campus operations.

The contrast in how protests have developed at the top universities, with long histories of student activism, has been notable. The results show how college and law enforcement officials deal with events that can quickly turn into a crisis.

Several other schools, including Northwestern University in Illinois and Brown University in Rhode Island, have avoided clashes between police and students.

Education experts say these cases offer lessons in keeping tensions from rising. They say it is important for university officials to learn from experience and balance student activism with pressure from donors², outside groups and politicians.

Berkeley Chancellor³ Carol Christ has permitted students to maintain a protest space on campus on the steps of Sproul Hall since April 22. The building is where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a 1967 civil rights speech.

Dan Mogulof is a spokesman for Berkeley. He said the protest space remained in effect Wednesday in the hours after UCLA and Columbia called police.

"UC Berkeley has long experience with nonviolent political protest," Mogulof said. He added that the school was following the University of California system's policy for demonstrations.

That guidance tells college administrators⁴ to avoid police involvement unless it is really necessary. Police are to be called when the physical safety of students, faculty⁵ and staff is threatened.

That policy is not normal for most schools. Most universities have rules that bar permanent encampments or overnight student activities on campus.

The University of California (UC) system has seen in the past where police involvement can lead.

In 2011, during the "Occupy" movement against economic inequality at Berkeley, campus police hit students with sticks. Then-Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau later apologized, and the University of California system turned to the policy of restraint, spokesman Mogulof said.

Pro-Palestinian protesters are demanding that colleges end investments in Israel and in companies doing business with the Israeli army.

In Illinois, Northwestern University reached a deal with protesters. The activists⁶ agreed to remove tents and sound systems on campus in return for a new advisory⁷ committee on investments.

Protesters at Brown University in Rhode Island also agreed to take down their encampment in return for a vote by the college on whether to divest⁸ from companies tied to Israel's military attacks on Gaza.

But some deals have failed to end tensions.

Portland State University in Oregon agreed to suspend donations from aircraft manufacturer Boeing. Boeing is the U.S. company that makes attack helicopters used in Gaza. But students there have continued their occupation of the library. The Associated Press says the campus was closed on Thursday because of police activity.

Words in This Story

campus -n. the grounds of a school, college or institution

umbrella -n. folding coverings that block rain and sun

disruption -n. interference in a normal activity

contrast -n. a comparison that examines the differences between things

lesson -n. something that is learned from an event or situation

faculty -n. the group of educators at a school

staff -n. employees of an organization usually not including educators at a school or college

divest -v. to sell or exchange interest in an investment or financial entity

1 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

2 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

4 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

5 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

8 divest   

v.脱去，剥除

参考例句：

• I cannot divest myself of the idea.我无法消除那个念头。
• He attempted to divest himself of all responsibilities for the decision.他力图摆脱掉作出该项决定的一切责任。