More than a thousand people have already been arrested during pro-Palestinian protests at universities in the United States. This data has been compiled since April 18, the date that marks the beginning of the demonstrations.
The arrests took place at around 25 universities spread across 21 American states. Other educational institutions also faced protests, but without reports of arrests.
The demonstrations represent a dilemma for President Joe Biden. On the one hand, if he adopts a tougher stance against Israel, he risks losing the moderate vote, crucial to his re-election campaign. On the other hand, a soft approach could alienate voters further to the left, who tend to support the Palestinian cause.
Lourival Sant'Anna, international analyst at CNN , assesses that Biden finds himself in a complex situation. “If he is even tougher on Israel, he loses the moderate vote, which is the vote that, by definition, he needs to win. It is this vote that he disputes with Donald Trump,” he explained.
“On the other hand, if Biden is not tough enough on Israel, he will lose this left-wing vote, which is not a vote that will be shifted to Donald Trump, it is a vote that will no longer happen, there will no longer be a vote and this vote Joe Biden is missed”, added Lourival Sant'Anna.
Republican rhetoric has also been tough on the protests. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell even compared the protesters to “Nazi students”, in an attempt to politically capitalize on the issue against the Biden administration.
Understand the protests
Protests grew after an encampment on the Columbia University campus in New York City saw the arrest of more than 100 protesters on April 18.
The protesters' demands vary from campus to campus, but the main focus is that universities divest from companies with financial ties to Israel, which is at war with Hamas.
Source: CNN Brasil
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