Emory University pro-Palestine protest descends into chaos (2024)

A protest at Emory University has descended into chaos as Georgia police officers fired rubber bullets and tasers at anti-Israel activists.

In this, the latest explosive example of unrest on American college campuses, students and faculty members were arrested as videos showed Atlanta Police Officers and Georgia State Troopers wrestling them on the ground. A demonstrator was also seen being tasered by an officer as he lay in the grass.

Another protest broke out at Northeastern University's Centennial Common as more than 100 pro-Palestine protestors gathered in tents with University and Boston Police standing by.

Protests erupted in the wake of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, and the ongoing retaliatory attacks on Gaza that followed. The chaotic demonstrations intensified in recent days, as school administrators call in police forces to remove encampments.

Pro-Palestine protests remain ongoing at Columbia, Harvard, NYU, USC, the University ofTexas, UC Berkley and Brown.

Video showed a line of demonstrators staring down officers as they chanted: 'Free, free Palestine!' at Northeastern.

Video captured multiple students being approached by officers as they 'sprayed tear gas' according to a witness, and fired rubber bullets at them, which can be heard ringing out on video.

Other clips showed cops pin protestors to the ground as they restrained their hands behind their backs.

One female protestor was seen being carried away by multiple officers as she screamed and sang.

Students occupied the lawn at the school's quad and set up a Gaza solidarity encampment.

Protestors said that they were 'demanding total institutional divestment from Israeliapartheid and Cop City at all Atlanta colleges and universities,' according to Fox 5.

Meanwhile, at Northeastern University, a large crowd of people were seen shoving each other at Centennial Common where a 'liberated zone for Gaza' has been set up.

Michael Schill, the president of Northwestern, allegedly reached out to the 'occupiers' and 'offered to talk' of the group takes down tents and non-students leave campus.

'We have absolutely NO intention of leaving OR shutting tents down anytime soon,' a protester said.

It is unclear how many protestors were arrested and if they were charged from the Emory University demonstration.

Another video showed multiple students handcuffed with zip ties as they sat next to a police transport vehicle on campus.

As people were apprehended by police, other protestors were heard chanting 'Let them go! Let them go!'

Armed officers lined up in front of the cheering crowd and tried to get them to move.

'This was a non-violent movement, you guys interrupted us,' a protestor said to the cops.

Two officers held a protestor down as another took a bright yellow taser to his thigh while spectators screamed in shock. It is unclear what led up to that dramatic moment.

The chair of Emory University's philosophy department, Noëlle McAfee, was seen being escorted off campus by an officer after she was handcuffed at the demonstration.

A white and black banner was seen hanging from a tent that said: 'DEFEND THE FOREST STOP COP CITY.'

Along the bottom of the banner it said: 'END POLICE MILITARIZATION.'

One of the arrested students was arrested was heard asking someone if they can try and find her phone while a male protester next to her managed to raise a sign that read 'Victory to the Palestine resistance.'

In a statement, Gregory L. Fenves, the president of the university said: Early this morning, several dozen protesters entered our Atlanta campus and set up an encampment on the Quad.'

'These individuals are largely not affiliated with Emory and were disrupting the university as our students finish classes and prepare for finals. This is completely unacceptable.'

Patrick Quinn, a reporter at ATL News First said that he counted 'at least 15 people arrested', including students, Emory University professors and non-students.

One Emory PHD student who witnessed the protest escalate told Quinn: 'It makes me feel sad, but not just for Emory University, but for the state of America,'

'What the he** is this? It's freedom of speech,' the student added.

Another female protestor is seen shouting as two Georgia State Patrol officers held her arms. One of the officers held a bundle of white zip ties.

A bail fund, organized by the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, was set up for Emory students and faculty that were arrested on campus.

On Wednesday, hundreds of troopers marched onto the University of Texasat Austin before scuffling with pro-Palestine protesters.

Police arrested at least four activists - who burst out in tears when they were handcuffed - after warning them they could face criminal charges if they did not disperse.

The rally at the Austin campus was organized by the university's Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSJ) chapter and quickly descended into anarchy.

The group said it was inspired by their 'comrades' at Yale and Columbia University, where in-person classes have been canceled due to the unrest sparked by 'encampments for Gaza.'