At least 23 people were arrested Thursday after an encampment was set up at Emory University to protest the Israel-Hamas war, echoing recent conflict at college campuses across the U.S.
Credit: AJC
Students, faculty and other protesters said they were prepared to camp out in the center of campus until the university cut ties with companies that advance Israel’s military efforts in Gaza and groups that fund the construction of a new police training facility in DeKalb County.
But within a few hours, campus police had called in reinforcements from the Atlanta Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol.
Witnesses and attendees said the protest was peaceful until police intervened, while Atlanta police said in a statement that officers were met with violence when they tried to secure the campus.
The state patrol echoed that statement, saying troopers “were met with protestors who threw bottles and refused to leave.”
Videos of the interactions posted to social media showed Atlanta police officers carrying rifles and zip ties walking through the encampment.
Atlanta police said chemical irritants were used to disperse the crowd, but they did not deploy rubber bullets, while the GSP said its troopers deployed pepper balls to control the unruly crowd but did not use tear gas.
