New Orleans, Louisiana, US – Student protests against the Israeli war on Gaza have caused a stir in the United States in recent weeks, leading to a crackdown by police on many campuses and over 2,000 arrests. Students who have established protest encampments at universities nationwide are demanding that their institutions divest from companies involved in Israeli abuses against Palestinians. While much attention has been on Columbia University and other Ivy League schools, students in the US South are also organizing for Palestine. In New Orleans, protests have erupted on university campuses and city streets. On April 28, the campus encampment movement spilled into the city center, with protesters setting up tents in Jackson Square and calling on the city to divest from Israel. This marked the first time the movement had expanded beyond universities in New Orleans, showing a growing desire among protesters to amplify their message.
The Jackson Square encampment, occupied by a mix of locals, artists, builders, and service industry workers, demanded divestment from Israeli institutions profiting from the war on Gaza. Despite initially peaceful demonstrations, police ultimately dismantled the encampment, resulting in multiple arrests and injuries. Subsequent protests at Tulane University faced similar opposition, with police forcefully removing student tents on campus. The students faced legal risks and intimidation, with proposed legislation in Louisiana threatening protesters with severe consequences.
Despite the challenges, the student-led protests continued, with demonstrators at Tulane playing music, making signs, and chanting in support of Palestine. The peaceful encampment was met with a harsh response from police, who ultimately dismantled the camp and arrested several students. The incidents at both Jackson Square and Tulane University highlighted the escalating tensions between protesters and law enforcement, with students facing violence and legal consequences for their activism.