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(Daily Signal)—College campuses this week escalated efforts to root out pro-Hamas, anti-Israel occupations, with police making arrests on nine different campuses.
Police have made more than 1,600 arrests in connection with the disruptive, illegal campus occupations since the first one began April 19 at Columbia University, according to an investigation by The Washington Stand. [The Associated Press on Thursday put the number of related arrests at over 2,000.}
Disturbingly, some universities are beginning to cave to protesters’ demands to restore order, even as campus protests become increasingly dominated by people who aren’t students.
The sheer number of anti-Israel campus protests and arrests makes it a bit bewildering to keep track of them all. As of Wednesday, there were at least 1,641 arrests and counting at 33 colleges and universities in 23 states, with at least three more schools threatening to make arrests and more pro-Hamas encampments cropping up daily.
Since so much media coverage obscures this point, it bears repeating that universities have not called in police to arrest protesters simply for exercising their right to free speech, or even for the vile, antisemitic content of that speech.
After asking law enforcement to intervene on two separate occasions, the University of Texas at Austin on Monday issued this representative statement: “Protests are allowed at the University of Texas. Since October and prior to April 24, no fewer than 13 pro-Palestinian free speech events were held on the UT campus, and four more demonstrations have been held since Thursday, largely without incident.”
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No, protesters were arrested for deliberately breaking the rules: flouting curfews, setting up tents where no tents were allowed, intimidating other students and impeding their free access and education on campus, and defying orders from law enforcement.
In some instances, protesters broke into campus buildings and barricaded them against campus authorities, declaring that the buildings had been “liberated.” Thus, when protesters were arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest, they had no one to blame but themselves.
If anything, universities have been reluctant to arrest demonstrators, often waiting days before calling in police. Schools repeatedly pleaded with the lawless mob before authorizing arrests, and then only a fraction of those involved in the illegal encampments are arrested.
Thus, the 40 incidents in which campus demonstrators have been arrested represent only a small fraction of antisemitic activity on college campuses that has been met by a law enforcement response. With that said, here is a timeline of campus arrests since April 19:
Friday, April 19:
- A total of 108 activists were arrested at Columbia University after erecting a pre-dawn tent encampment. Several students were suspended. Several student organizers were briefly suspended, including the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. However, the encampment returned April 21.
Monday, April 22:
- A total of 133 activists were arrested at New York University after a large group, including non-students, illegally crossed police barricades.
- A total of 48 activists were arrested at Yale University, where pro-Hamas demonstrators intimidated Jewish students and struck one in the eye. The activists resisted a lawful order to disperse.
- Three activists were arrested at California State Polytechnic University at Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) in a scuffle with police after protesters illegally occupied an academic building and barricaded it against police.
Tuesday, April 23:
- Nine activists were arrested at the University of Minnesota when police cleared another encampment at the Minneapolis campus.
- Two activists were arrested at the University of South Carolina for creating a disturbance after hours and then refusing a lawful order to disperse.
Wednesday, April 24:
- A total of 93 activists were arrested at the University of Southern California as police cleared an encampment. Activists, including many who weren’t students, struggled against police. At one point they surrounded a police vehicle until police let someone they had arrested go free.
- A total of 57 activists were arrested at the University of Texas at Austin after they refused to disperse and attempted to unlawfully erect an encampment. Nearly half (26) of those arrested were not affiliated with the university. The progressive local prosecutor subsequently dropped all charges against those arrested.
Thursday, April 25:
- Police arrested 108 activists at Emerson College in Boston when officers cleared an illegal encampment.
- Officers arrested 36 activists at Ohio State University when police cleared an illegal encampment. Only 16 were students; 20 were not affiliated with the university.
- Police arrested 33 activists at Indiana University at Bloomington when officers cleared an illegal encampment.
- A total of 28 activists were arrested at Emory University in Atlanta when police cleared an illegal encampment.
- Two activists were arrested at Princeton University when police arrived to clear an illegal encampment. After officers began making arrests, the rest of the occupiers voluntarily packed up their tents to avoid arrest.
- One activist, a grad student, was arrested at the University of Connecticut for assaulting an officer who was attempting to detain another student.
Friday, April 26:
- Police arrested 44 activists at the Auraria Higher Education Center, where they had illegally occupied campus buildings and damaged campus property. Auraria serves as a campus for the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the University of Colorado Denver.
- Three activists were arrested at Arizona State University in connection with an illegal encampment that would not be cleared until the next day.
- Two activists were arrested at the University of Illinois when police cleared an illegal encampment. The two men, not students, were charged with “mob action.” One also was charged with obstructing a peace officer and the other with aggravated battery of a peace officer.
Saturday, April 27:
- 100 activists were arrested at the University of Washington, St. Louis when police cleared an illegal encampment. (This number seems suspiciously round, but efforts to obtain a more precise total bore no fruit; therefore, I will proceed as if this was the total.) Among those arrested were 23 students and four school employees, leaving approximately 73 not affiliated with the school. Jill Stein, the 2024 presidential candidate for the Green Party, was one of those arrested.
- 98 activists were arrested at Northeastern University in Boston at a demonstration that evidently crossed some lines. The demonstration was “infiltrated by professional organizers,” according to a school spokeswoman, which led the school to shut it down. Anyone who could produce a valid school ID card was not arrested. Among the 98 protesters who could not, 29 were students and six were school employees, leaving 63 not affiliated with the school.
- 69 activists were arrested at Arizona State University when police cleared an illegal encampment. Of the total of 72 arrested at ASU between Friday and Saturday, only 15 were students; 57 were unaffiliated with the school.
- 12 activists were arrested at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, when police cleared an illegal encampment and they refused to leave. The university expressed safety concerns over unaffiliated individuals joining the demonstration. Of those arrested, nine were students and three were unaffiliated with the school.
Sunday, April 28:
- Two activists were arrested at the University of Pittsburgh for illegally trespassing on a lawn.
Monday, April 29:
- 82 activists were arrested at Virginia Tech University after students illegally occupied a lawn. Fifty-three were students, leaving 29 who were not affiliated with the school.
- 79 activists were arrested at the University of Texas at Austin after they again attempted to erect an illegal encampment. Only 34 were students while 45 were not affiliated with the school.
- 20 activists were arrested at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland after students illegally erected tents during a protest.
- 19 activists were arrested at the University of Utah when police cleared an illegal encampment. Those arrested included four students, one school employee, and 14 unaffiliated individuals.
- 16 activists were arrested at the University of Georgia when police cleared an illegal encampment, . including 11 students and five unaffiliated individuals. The university subsequently suspended some of those arrested. “Personally, I did not expect to be suspended,” complained one suspended student, Zeena Mohamed. But college is supposed to be a place where students learn new things, after all.
- 13 activists were arrested at Princeton after protesters illegally occupied a campus building.
- 13 activists were arrested at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond when police cleared an illegal encampment. Six were students and seven were not affiliated with the school.
- Six students were arrested at Tulane University in connection with an illegal encampment. Only one was a student; the other five were not affiliated with the university.
- Three activists were arrested at the University of South Florida when the Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society held an unauthorized rally. The school’s SDS chapter had been suspended for causing a disruption on campus at a previous event.
Tuesday, April 30:
- 173 activists were arrested at the City College in New York (CCNY) when police were called because of “specific and repeated acts of violence and vandalism.” Both students and “unaffiliated external individuals” refused to leave. The New York Police Department cleared CCNY around the same time that they cleared protesters at Columbia University for the second time.
- 119 activists were arrested at Columbia University. Activists had illegally occupied the campus for more than a week, causing it to be closed. They recently broke into and barricaded a campus building, which they renamed and declared “liberated.” Police used a large truck to enter the building through a second-floor window.
- 36 activists were arrested at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after they refused to obey a lawful order to disperse. Demonstrators had taken down an American flag and replaced it with a Palestinian flag. Of those arrested, 13 were students and 23 were not affiliated with the university.
- 32 activists were arrested at Cal Poly Humboldt after they illegally occupied a campus building for more than a week. Those arrested included 13 students, one faculty member, and 18 unaffiliated individuals.
- 25 activists were arrested at the University of Connecticut when police cleared an illegal encampment.
- 16 activists were arrested at the University of New Mexico after they illegally occupied a campus building. Five of those arrested were students and 11 were not affiliated with the university.
- 14 activists were arrested at Tulane University when police cleared an illegal encampment. Two were students and 12 were not affiliated with the university.
- 10 activists were arrested at the University of South Florida after the SDS, the suspended student group, tried to stage another illegal encampment. Seventy-five to 100 protesters came equipped with wooden shields and umbrellas in an attempt to counter law enforcement’s anti-riot tactics, but they were ultimately unsuccessful.
- Nine activists were arrested at the University of Florida when police cleared an illegal encampment. One was charged with battery of a police officer.
Wednesday, May 1:
- 34 activists were arrested at the University of Wisconsin at Madison when police cleared an illegal encampment. Four were charged with resisting arrest and/or battery of a police officer.
- Activists were arrested overnight at the University of Arizona when police cleared an illegal encampment. At publishing time, it was not known how many activists were arrested. [Later reports said police made four arrests.]
There are several noteworthy trends in this progression: 1) universities are acting more quickly to disperse illegal encampments; 2) more universities are calling in police to make arrests; 3) the numbers of those arrested is dwindling; and 4) increasing attention is being drawn to the presence of outside agitators.
These trends suggest several developments. First, university administrators are watching what is happening at other universities. They are witnessing the recalcitrance of pro-Hamas activists, as well as the headaches and monetary damages they have caused at places like Columbia or Cal Poly Humboldt where they were not dealt with quickly.
Administrators also have witnessed the example of the University of Texas at Austin and other schools that have successfully prevented a campus occupation through vigilant policing. These factors motivate university administrators to put an end to protesters’ illegal occupation tactics.
Second, the force of the pro-Hamas wave has dwindled as it has expanded. Protests at elite, radically progressive schools had high energy and significant student involvement. But protests at smaller or less elite schools have seen less student enthusiasm. Arrests have been in higher numbers, and there has been a larger proportion of unaffiliated agitators.
Third, even the most radical protesters can behave rationally. Essentially, they would rather not face consequences for their actions—to the point that they are now begging for amnesty from the same administrators they just poked in the eye. It seems that students are making a risk calculation based upon how they believe law enforcement will respond.
Police have made the most arrests in progressive (that is, anti-law-enforcement) jurisdictions such as New York, Massachusetts, and California. But protests have been smaller across the South and Midwest, suggesting that fewer students are willing to risk arrest and prosecution for the thrill of camping on the university lawn. This also suggests that government officials should consider the incentives they create in how they respond to protests.
Fourth, outside agitators have become involved to an alarming extent. Police made arrests at 22 universities from Saturday to Tuesday; in 11 out of 12 instances where the numbers are known, they arrested more outsiders than students. In multiple instances, these outside agitators participated in illegally occupying campus buildings.
It is unacceptable that a handful of activists, with no connection to a university, can seize its property and hold it hostage to absurd demands.
Circumstances on many university campuses are developing rapidly, and more arrests could follow at any time. Johns Hopkins University has threatened police action against an illegal encampment on its Baltimore campus. Purdue University has threatened ringleaders of an encampment there with disciplinary action. Portland State University in Oregon has closed its campus due to protesters illegally occupying the campus library for two straight days.
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As these will not be the last campus arrests related to pro-Hamas protests, neither were they the first. At Brown University, 41 students were arrested in December when they refused to leave a campus building. In March, four students at Vanderbilt University and 22 students and two faculty members at Cornell University were arrested for refusing to leave campus buildings.
The pro-Hamas, antisemitic protests on campus exploded in mid-April, around the Jewish holiday of Passover. The illegal occupation at Columbia gained the most attention, and campus occupations have expanded ever since.
But the activists have gone too far. Universities are fighting back with mass arrests.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
