The US government said on Tuesday it will review an incident at the University of Washington (UW) in which pro-Palestinian protesters occupied a university building while demanding the school cut ties with Boeing over its contracts with the Israeli military.
President Donald Trump's administration labelled the incident as anti-Semitic activity. While it praised university and law enforcement officials for their response, it urged the school to take enforcement actions and make policy changes.
The university said on Tuesday 30 pro-Palestinian protesters who occupied the building late on Monday were arrested, and charges of trespassing, property destruction and disorderly conduct would be referred to prosecutors.
Boeing gave the school a $10m (R182.3m) donation for an engineering building in 2022.
“The task force's review is in response to the eruption of anti-Semitic harassment and violence that occurred on May 5 at UW's campus in Seattle,” the education department, health department and general services administration said in a statement.
The university had no immediate comment after the Trump administration statement late on Tuesday.
The protest group, called Super UW, said police had removed the students who occupied the building. It also said 30 people were taken into custody but some were released.
The Trump administration has threatened universities with federal funding cuts over pro-Palestinian campus protests against Israel's military assault on Gaza after Palestinian Hamas militants' October 2023 attack in Israel.
The administration has attempted to deport some protesters, and rights advocates have raised free speech and academic freedom concerns.
Trump casts the protests as anti-Semitic and as sympathetic to Hamas.
Protesters, including some Jewish groups, said the government wrongly conflates their criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza with anti-Semitism and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with support for extremism.
Reuters
US reviews occupation of University of Washington building by pro-Palestinian protesters
Image: REUTERS/David Ryder/File Photo
The US government said on Tuesday it will review an incident at the University of Washington (UW) in which pro-Palestinian protesters occupied a university building while demanding the school cut ties with Boeing over its contracts with the Israeli military.
President Donald Trump's administration labelled the incident as anti-Semitic activity. While it praised university and law enforcement officials for their response, it urged the school to take enforcement actions and make policy changes.
The university said on Tuesday 30 pro-Palestinian protesters who occupied the building late on Monday were arrested, and charges of trespassing, property destruction and disorderly conduct would be referred to prosecutors.
Boeing gave the school a $10m (R182.3m) donation for an engineering building in 2022.
“The task force's review is in response to the eruption of anti-Semitic harassment and violence that occurred on May 5 at UW's campus in Seattle,” the education department, health department and general services administration said in a statement.
The university had no immediate comment after the Trump administration statement late on Tuesday.
The protest group, called Super UW, said police had removed the students who occupied the building. It also said 30 people were taken into custody but some were released.
The Trump administration has threatened universities with federal funding cuts over pro-Palestinian campus protests against Israel's military assault on Gaza after Palestinian Hamas militants' October 2023 attack in Israel.
The administration has attempted to deport some protesters, and rights advocates have raised free speech and academic freedom concerns.
Trump casts the protests as anti-Semitic and as sympathetic to Hamas.
Protesters, including some Jewish groups, said the government wrongly conflates their criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza with anti-Semitism and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with support for extremism.
Reuters
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