UN Human Rights Chief troubled by 鈥榟eavy-handed鈥� action against protesters at US colleges

NYPD officers stand watch as they prepare to enter the campus of Columbia University in New York City on April 30, 2024. (AFP)
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  • Volker Turk says 鈥榝reedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly are fundamental to society, particularly when there is sharp disagreement on major issues鈥�
  • Protests have taken place on campuses in several states as students demand colleges withdraw investments from businesses involved in Israel鈥檚 assault on Gaza

NEW YORK CITY: The UN鈥檚 high commissioner for human rights on Tuesday said he is troubled by 鈥渁 series of heavy-handed steps鈥� taken by education authorities and law enforcement officials to break up protests at college campuses in the US.
Volker Turk said: 鈥渇reedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly are fundamental to society, particularly when there is sharp disagreement on major issues, as there are in relation to the conflict in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel.鈥�
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have spread across college campuses in Texas, New York, Atlanta, Utah, Virginia, New Jersey, California and other parts of the US as students protest against the death toll during the war in Gaza, call for a ceasefire and demand authorities at their colleges withdraw investments from businesses involved in Israel鈥檚 military assault on Gaza.




Pro-Palestinian protestors hold a rally outside of Columbia University in New York City on April 30, 2024. (AFP)

Though largely peaceful, at some locations the protests have been dispersed or dismantled by security forces. Hundreds of students and teachers have been arrested, some of whom face charges or academic sanctions.
Turk expressed concern that some of the responses by law enforcement authorities at several colleges might have been disproportionate, and called for such actions to be scrutinized to ensure they do not exceed what is necessary 鈥渢o protect the rights and freedoms of others.鈥�
He added that all such actions must be guided by human rights law, while 鈥渁llowing vibrant debate and protecting safe spaces for all.鈥�




Members of the NYPD set up a large perimeter around the Columbia University campus to clear pro-Palestinian demonstrators from a protest encampment in New York City on April 30, 2024. (AFP)

He reiterated that antisemitic, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian activities and speech are 鈥渢otally unacceptable, deeply disturbing (and) reprehensible.鈥� However, the conduct of protesters must be assessed and addressed individually rather than through 鈥渟weeping measures that impute to all members of a protest the unacceptable viewpoints of a few,鈥� Turk added.
鈥淚ncitement to violence or hatred on grounds of identity or viewpoints, whether real or assumed, must be strongly repudiated. We have already seen such dangerous rhetoric can quickly lead to real violence.鈥�