{"id":136365,"date":"2023-10-27T11:46:25","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T15:46:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/?p=136365"},"modified":"2023-10-27T13:31:06","modified_gmt":"2023-10-27T17:31:06","slug":"tulane-pro-palestine-protest-turns-violent-after-attempted-israeli-flag-burning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/tulane-pro-palestine-protest-turns-violent-after-attempted-israeli-flag-burning\/","title":{"rendered":"Tulane pro-Palestine protest turns violent after attempted Israeli flag-burning"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>Three students were assaulted and police made several arrests, according to the university<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>At a pro-Palestine rally at Tulane University on Tuesday, protesters clashed as a pro-Palestine demonstrator attempted to burn an Israeli flag.<\/p>\n<p>Protestors and counter-protestors showed up that morning for a demonstration planned for 12:30 pm at the New Orleans university.<\/p>\n<p>Crowds of demonstrators carrying Israeli and Palestinian flags formed on opposite sides of the street.<\/p>\n<p>In one incident, recorded on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Cy4jy27OhEz\/?img_index=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">video<\/a> and shared on social media, a masked demonstrator carrying Palestinian paraphernalia attempted to burn an Israeli flag as he stood in the bed of a pickup truck driving down the road that divided the groups.<\/p>\n<p>Another student attempted to grab the flag, and several began to fight.<\/p>\n<p>Tulane student Drew Biller told <em>The College Fix<\/em> via text message Friday that she and other students had to walk through the rally to get to classes.<\/p>\n<p>The demonstration was held \u201ca road that crosses through the center of classes,&#8221; she said. Biller said they \u201cwould\u2019ve tried to go around, but there\u2019s not really any other way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe whole campus was really disturbed,\u201d Biller said. \u201cAfter the fight broke out . . . I was talking to people that were saying how they didn\u2019t even feel safe walking to class because they didn\u2019t want to cross [the road].\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Biller told<em> The Fix<\/em> that the pro-Palestine protestors chanted \u201cyou\u2019re supporting genocide\u201d and that the counter-demonstrators chanted back, \u201cyou\u2019re supporting terrorism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou guys will be f\u2013\u2013ing exposed one day, you guys will see!\u201d one pro-Palestine demonstrator can be heard saying through a megaphone to pro-Israel counter-demonstrators. \u201cOur tax money pays for your living, how dare you!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"rumble\" src=\"https:\/\/rumble.com\/embed\/v3pfy17\/?pub=gavb5\" width=\"500\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>They later led other demonstrators in chanting \u201cFree, free Palestine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/news.tulane.edu\/statements&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1698430904073536&amp;usg=AOvVaw39z4kZwU6h7f4-YFV3PzzB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announcement<\/a> issued that evening by Tulane, three students were assaulted and several arrests were made by the \u201capproximately 40\u201d officers present.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe condemn and are outraged by today\u2019s violence and the hateful language and rhetoric we heard,&#8221; the university stated. &#8220;It\u2019s counter to everything we stand for.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The university wrote that the rally was \u201cnot approved in any way\u201d by Tulane, and &#8220;outside disruptors&#8221; were present.<\/p>\n<p>Tulane has not responded to Thursday inquiries from<em> The Fix<\/em> for general comment and whether they knew of any outside organizations that were involved.<\/p>\n<p>University President Michael Fitts, in an email to students\u2019 families shared with <em>The Fix <\/em>by a recipient, wrote that the assaults were \u201cdisturbing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a parent, I know how scary it can be to get this kind of news,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Tulane&#8217;s undergraduate student body is 43.7 percent Jewish, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hillel.org\/college\/tulane-university\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according to<\/a> Jewish student organization Hillel International.<\/p>\n<p>The individuals arrested at the brawl have not been identified; however, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)\u2019s New Orleans chapter posted an Instagram <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stories\/jvpnola\/3222268414374952400\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">story<\/a> claiming one of its members had been \u201ctaken into custody.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The rally, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tulane4palestine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announced<\/a> by organizers Tulane Students for Palestine on Instagram Tuesday, \u201cdemand[ed] that Tulane condemn genocide, divest from Israel, and protect Arab students.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The announcement included instructions for demonstrators, including to \u201cstay non-violent,\u201d \u201cwear a mask,\u201d and to \u201cstay off Tulane\u2019s campus.\u201d The account also posted a map of where to meet opposite the street from a Tulane fieldhouse, with instructions not to enter the street.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-136375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/SecurityInfo72-306x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"431\" height=\"423\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/SecurityInfo72-306x300.jpg 306w, https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/SecurityInfo72-409x400.jpg 409w, https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/SecurityInfo72-112x110.jpg 112w, https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/SecurityInfo72-768x752.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/SecurityInfo72.jpg 1056w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 431px) 100vw, 431px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Tuesday announcement included the logos of student-run clubs, including JVP New Orleans, Abolish TUPD [Tulane University Police Department], Cops off Campus, Students Organizing Against Racism, and the university\u2019s Muslim Students Association.<\/p>\n<p>Tulane Students for Palestine, Abolish TUPD, Students Organizing Against Racism, and the Muslim Students Association have not responded to Thursday email inquiries from <em>The Fix <\/em>about their involvement in organizing the event, and Abolish TUPD has not responded to messages to their Instagram account.<\/p>\n<p>Abolish TUPD <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/abolishtupd\/status\/1716917658858512482?s=46&amp;t=Ck4F8jbhWabWtSEL_IFvew\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tweeted<\/a> Tuesday that it was \u201cproud to stand with\u201d these organizations in \u201cendorsing\u201d the rally.<\/p>\n<p>Hillel International at Tulane and Tulane Jewish Students have not responded to email inquiries regarding their positions on the rally and who organized the pro-Israel counter-protest.<\/p>\n<p>Tulane has issued multiple statements regarding the Israel-Palestinian War since the October 7 surprise attack by Hamas on Israel. On October 12, President Fitts put out a <a href=\"https:\/\/t.e2ma.net\/message\/zrjtoh\/f4rcg4f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">statement<\/a> condemning the attack as \u201cterrorism\u201d and described the war as a \u201ctragic loss of innocent civilian lives, both Israeli and Palestinian.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A vigil for Israel was organized Oct. 18 by The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, less than five miles from the scene of Thursday\u2019s rally.<\/p>\n<p>Tulane Students for Palestine announced in a Thursday Instagram <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stories\/tulane4palestine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">story<\/a> that they \u201cwill see you all again next week. Free Palestine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Editor&#8217;s note:<\/strong><em> Drew Biller is the sister of the author. <\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/students-for-justice-in-palestine-plans-college-campaigns-celebrates-violence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Students for Justice in Palestine plans \u2018Day of Resistance\u2019 celebrating anti-Israel violence<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>IMAGES: @Ryanzamos\/Instagram; @Tulane4Palestine\/Instagram<\/p>\n            <div class=\"article-truncate-control\">\n                <button class=\"show-complete-article\">\n                    Read More                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n\n        ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three students were assaulted and police made several arrests, according to the university.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1232,"featured_media":136372,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1085,1077],"tags":[51582,51583,51584,454,501,51588,51589,3757,51585,1538,3080,704,5883,51587,749,3919,51586,938,51580,5108,3853,51581],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/FreePalestine72.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Oh4L-ztr","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136365"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1232"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136365"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":136401,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136365\/revisions\/136401"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}