Anti-Israel protests rock Princeton to close out semester
Various anti-Israel demonstrations took place on campus, including walk outs during the commencement ceremony.
During the president's annual address to alumni, activists yelled that the school was 'complicit in genocide,' and demanded divestments from Israel.
Tensions rose during the last few weeks of the spring semester at Princeton University as anti-Israel protesters continued to disrupt school activities and commencement ceremonies.
The anti-Israel actions included vandalism of iconic campus statues, staged walk outs during the commencement ceremony, obstruction of traffic, and a disruption of the president’s address to alumni.
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At his annual address on May 22, President Christopher Eisgruber was interrupted by the screams of roughly 25 protesters who, according to The Daily Princetonian, yelled “[w]e are complicit in genocide” and later “Eisgruber, Eisgruber, we won’t rest. We won’t rest until divest.”
The demonstrators reportedly had their hands painted red and spent much of the address raising them in protest. After several minutes of the demonstration, they left the room and continued to protest outside the building.
Despite the disruptions, few attempts seem to have been made by the school to limit the protesters. Only one activist, who was identified as an alumnus by Princeton Israeli Apartheid Divest (PIAD), was arrested but let go shortly afterwards, per The Daily Princetonian.
During another of the university’s alumni reunion traditions, anti-Israel protesters briefly stopped the school’s P-rade on May 25 by linking arms and sitting in the middle of the event route.
After being removed from the road, the group continued demonstrations on the side of the road, holding signs and Palestinian flags.
According to the university, the P-rade serves as “one of the most popular and colorful reunion events” since the 1860s.
The same day as the P-rade, Robertson Hall, home to the School of Public and International Affairs department, was vandalized with the spray painted words: “Pretty Town, Bloody Gown.”
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Days later, protesters also vandalized the front of Nassau Hall, covering the school’s famous lion statues in front of the building with red paint, and spray painting the ground with the words: “Tragic Accident, Genocide Denial.”
BREAKING: The Beautiful Tiger Statues outside Nassau Hall at Princeton were vandalized this morning and covered in red paint. Princeton Divest Now is claiming that an “autonomous group” did this.
Princeton Divest Now: ”Good morning Princeton! Looks like an autonomous group has… pic.twitter.com/1IpwiNZtUI— Stu (@thestustustudio) May 29, 2024
Campus Reform has reached out to Princeton University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.