Daijiworld Media Network- Washington
Washington, May 7: A dramatic standoff unfolded at the University of Washington campus in Seattle as pro-Palestinian student protesters occupied a university building late Monday night, triggering a strong response from law enforcement and drawing sharp scrutiny from federal authorities.
The protesters, affiliated with the group ‘Super UW’, demanded that the university sever its ties with American aerospace giant Boeing, alleging complicity in Israel’s military actions in Gaza due to Boeing’s defense contracts. The incident comes in the wake of growing unrest across U.S. college campuses over the Israel-Gaza conflict.
University authorities confirmed that 30 individuals were arrested for trespassing, property destruction, and disorderly conduct. While some were released, law enforcement officials said charges would be forwarded to prosecutors for further action.
In a stern statement, the Trump administration labeled the incident as an act of antisemitic aggression. A joint review has now been launched by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health, and the General Services Administration to examine what it called a “surge in antisemitic harassment and violence” during the protest.
The university, which received a $10 million donation from Boeing in 2022 for an engineering facility, has not responded to the administration’s allegations at the time of filing this report.
Amidst the turmoil, the Trump administration warned universities nationwide that failure to curb similar protests could result in cuts to federal funding. Officials also hinted at possible deportation actions against certain protesters—a move that has sparked a wave of concern among human rights and academic freedom advocates.
Trump has repeatedly described the protests as “antisemitic” and accused demonstrators of harboring sympathies for Hamas. However, protest groups—many including Jewish students—have rejected these claims, insisting their activism targets Israel’s military policies and seeks justice for Palestinians, not the Jewish community.
As debates over free speech, academic freedom, and geopolitical accountability rage on, the federal review of the University of Washington incident is expected to set a precedent for how such campus protests are handled across the United States.