U.S. students have raised their voices over the Israel-Hamas war, advocating for America’s support of Israel or a cease-fire amid continued destruction in Gaza. But as young people demonstrate for either side, the risk of tensions turning violent is ever-present.
In a latest example, the New York City Police Department is investigating reports that students were attacked with a chemical spray last week during a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University, causing several people to seek medical treatment.
The spraying occurred during a student-led demonstration at the Ivy League campus on Friday against the ongoing war in Gaza. Student groups based at Columbia said eight students had been hospitalized and dozens more sought urgent medical attention.
The groups described the assailants as former Israeli military soldiers, a claim USA TODAY could not independently verify. Student advocates called on the university and U.S. elected officials, who had previously come to defend Israeli supporters on college campuses, to investigate the incident amid rising attacks against Palestinian, Arab and Muslim American students.