Princeton University students have returned to campus for the fall semester – and so have pro-Palestine/anti-Israel protesters.
The first protest of the 2024-25 academic year on Sept. 3 drew about 150 protesters, according to published reports in The Daily Princetonian.
The protesters toured some of the sites of Princeton University’s “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” that popped up last spring, the student newspaper reported.
The march began on McCosh Courtyard – the initial site of the encampment – and moved on to Clio Hall and Nassau Hall. Protesters attempted to take over Clio Hall last spring before being ousted.
The protesters walked around the perimeter of Cannon Green behind Nassau Hall, but did not venture on to it. The protesters had relocated the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” from McCosh Courtyard to Cannon Green before it was dismantled after three weeks.
Protesters at the Sept. 3 gathering were critical of the newest rules regarding protests, which bans protests from Cannon Green and the lawn in front of Nassau Hall, according to published reports.
Princeton University officials said there haven’t been any significant changes to policies. The rules on protests are available on a newly launched Princeton University website, which includes a section on frequently asked questions (FAQ), published reports said.
Meanwhile, about a dozen counter-protesters held up signs in memory of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was held captive by Hamas after its Oct. 7 attack on Israel. He was a dual Israel-American citizen whose body was recovered in a Hamas tunnel on Aug. 30.