NYT: Over 3,100 arrested at anti-Israel campus protests, but many charges dropped

A student protester waves a Palestinian flag above Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University, April 30, 2024, in New York. (Pool Photo/Mary Altaffer)
A student protester waves a Palestinian flag above Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University, April 30, 2024, in New York. (Pool Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Over 3,100 people were arrested when pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protests swept US college campuses earlier this year, though many charges have been dropped, The New York Times reports.

Most students were accused of trespassing or disturbing the peace, while others were charged with resisting arrest, The Times says.

But Delia Garza, the prosecutor in Travis County, says such offenses are minor and nonviolent and are not a priority for the justice system. She dropped charges against over 100 people arrested at the University of Texas at Austin, The Times says.

Some prosecutors are focusing on those facing charges of destroying property and looting, according to the report.

While many no longer face legal troubles, some students face being banned from their campuses or finding themselves unable to graduate, the report adds.

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