![WaylandCAN, a nonprofit focused on building community in Wayland held an event on Tuesday Nov. 19 at Loker Elementary School.
“I've never seen a community come together and be vulnerable like that in front of [others] where people were not only sharing, but getting emotional and the respect was incredible,” Wayland resident Stuti Bhargava said.](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/5xXGzZO9uoYmIEmB46rs4ssfAfJX9WlLnFCTIZdi-1200x800.jpg)
![Wayland High School Class of 2019 alum Devin Wong is the new assistant coach of Harvard University Nordic Ski Team. "I’m excited to be a part of a new team and coaching staff am motivated to learn from [head coach] Cate Brams and grow as a coach and wax tech," Wong said.](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/09-27-24-NSKI-Wong-Announcement-1920x1080-1-e1730466291327-1200x704.jpg)
What you need to know:
Since April 17, college students around the country have been protesting the Israel-Hamas war. Student have set up tents on their campus lawns and occupied other facilities around campus such as libraries. On April 30, students at Columbia University took over Hamilton Hall. The students are demanding a cease-fire and for their schools to cut ties with organizations that fund the war. Some schools, such as Columbia University, have had to switch to remote classes due to the protests in an effort to “de-escalate the rancor.”
Furthermore, students at Columbia have been arrested for violating their university’s rules by not leaving a space after being asked to do so. According to AP News, 40 students from Yale University, and 133 students from New York University (NYU) were arrested on April 22.
According to US News, on April 24, the University of Southern California (USC) announced that it would be closing its campus for the rest of the week, and that the police would be allowed to detain students who did not comply with campus rules.
Why it matters:
At colleges in Massachusetts, such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Tufts University, Brandeis University and Emerson College, students are also protesting the war on their campuses.
On April 25 at Emerson College, more than 100 people were arrested and four police officers were injured while trying to clear out tents that were set up. At Northeastern University, 100 people were also arrested and their setups were taken down or taken away. “The escalation of tensions on Friday night made it necessary to restore civility and ensure that our campus is a place where all students — including the more than 8,000 who are celebrating their commencements this week — can share in full and free access to space and facilities,” Northeastern Chancellor Ken Henderson and Provost David Madigan said in a letter sent to the community on Monday.
What are other sources to look at?
“Protests at Columbia and other schools escalate” – CNN
“College protests updates: Police crackdown leads to hundreds of arrests” – ABC News
“Campus protests: Pro-Palestinian demonstrations spread as some schools crack down” – NBC News
“Tensions running high at East Coast college campuses over Israel-Hamas war protests” – CBS News
“The Revolution on America’s Campuses” – TIME
