MIT president calls for shutdown of pro-Palestinian encampments

The president of MIT says the encampment on campus needs to be shut down here after hundreds of students at Northeastern and Emerson were arrested for similar demonstrations.

102 people were arrested on Saturday morning at Northeastern, with police breaking up pro-Palestinian encampments there. The University in their decision citing antisemitic chants to quote “kill the Jews,” something students and faculty deny. Video shows those chants came from counter-protesters holding Israeli flags.

A more violent scene unfolded at Emerson College Thursday, where 118 people were arrested for camping out in Boylston Place Alley. The student government has since taken a vote of no confidence in their president.

At MIT, around 30 students set up more than a dozen tents on the Kresge lawn, putting up signs expressing their support for the Palestinian people and calling on the university to cut their research ties with Israel.

President Sally Kornbluth released a video statement saying the encampments have been a clear violation of school rules from the start.

"Out of respect for the principles of free expression, we have not interfered with the encampment, but it is creating a potential magnet for disruptive outside protesters. It is commandeering space that was properly reserved by other members of our community. And keeping the encampments safe and secure for this set of students is diverting hundreds of staff hours around the clock away from other essential duties." said Kornbluth.

Kornbluth didn’t give a timeline but said these encampments need to come down “soon.” She has police monitoring them 24 hours a day.

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