Arrests made in NYC 'day of rage' as anti-Israel agitators burn US flag, deface World War I memorial

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Anti-Israel riots have spread to the Netherlands.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, police arrested more than 120 people at an encampment erected at the University of Amsterdam. The sweeping arrest comes as demonstrations calling for the death of America and Israel have roiled campuses in the U.S. and have spread into Europe.

Police in the Dutch capital said the protests turned violent and that their action was "necessary to restore order" in a statement on X.

Officers used batons and shields as they moved into the demonstration, beating some of the protesters and pulling down tents, video from the scene aired by national broadcaster NOS showed. Police also used a mechanical digger to rip down barricades.

There were no reported injuries.

On Monday, the agitators copied the template of those agitators at elite U.S. colleges and universities as they formed barricades from wooden pallets and bicycles, NOS reported.

Photos from the Amsterdam campus showed the agitators had erected tents, displayed anti-Israel banners and had gathered containers of food.

Fox News' Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.

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The New York City Police Department reportedly arrested two dozen anti-Israel demonstrators during a march toward the Met Gala overnight.

There were roughly 1,000 participants in the march.

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

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University of Florida President Ben Sasse spoke out against the ongoing anti-Israel protests erupting across college campuses all over the country.

Thousands have been arrested this graduation season due to ongoing anti-Israel protests and encampments, some of which have canceled commencement ceremonies altogether.

On CNN’s "State of the Union," Sasse said, "We have time, place and manner restrictions, and you don’t get to take over the whole university. People don’t get to spit at cops. You don’t get to barricade yourselves in buildings. You don’t get to disrupt somebody else’s commencement."

"What we tell all of our students, protesters, is there are two things we’re going to affirm over and over again: We will always defend your right to free speech and free assembly," the former Nebraska senator continued.

A dozen people have been arrested across three different college campuses in the sunshine state for anti-Israel protests, while nine were arrested at the University of Florida last Monday alone.

"I ran by our group of protesters waving their Palestinian flag; we protect their right to do that. But we have rules. And one of those rules is we don’t allow camping on campus," the university president added. "It’s to help them get into compliance with the rules. They can protest. They can try to persuade people, but they don’t get [to] build a camp. Nobody else does either."

A crowd of anti-Israel protesters waving Palestinian flags on the Upper East Side were filmed shouting down a lone dissenter proudly waving an Israeli flag.

A man who was one of the few visibly Jewish people in the crowd pointed and shouted at the protester, prompting the others to start in with chants of: "Shame!"

"Shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on you!" the crowd chanted.

The lone dissenter appeared unfazed as he continued to wave a small Israeli flag.

As the chanting continued, a woman from the crowd accosts the man, nearly covering him with a Palestinian flag. Another person from the crowd grabs his flag as they push him away, eliciting cheers from the other participants. 

The scene happened down the road from the Met Gala where at least 100 anti-Israel agitators were marching near the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The protesters were heard chanting anti-Israel slogans, calling for an "intifada" and taunting police officers.

The NYPD removed a Palestinian flag placed on a memorial honoring a famed Civil War general near Central Park on Monday amid anti-Israel protests in the area.

The flag was placed on a statue of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman at Grand Army Plaza. The monument depicts Sherman on his horse, Ontario, led by the allegorical figure of Victory, according to the Central Park Conservancy.

Video footage taken at the scene shows several NYPD officers in front of the memorial during a confrontation with protesters, who are heard off camera.

One person is heard asking the protesters to put a bigger flag on the statue. An officer is then seen climbing a ladder to remove the flag.

“I hope you fall,” someone is heard saying before the group begins chanting “Free, Free Palestine!"

"Guess what, we're going to be here tomorrow," one person states.

The 107th Infantry Memorial in Central Park was vandalized Monday night. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

Anti-Israel protesters in New York City defaced statues honoring American World War I soldiers on Monday.

The outdoor bronze monument at the East 67th Street entrance of Central Park depicts members of the 107th United States Infantry in the throes of battle.

The sculpture was plastered with stickers stating “Palestine is Everywhere” and other pro-Palestinian slogans. At the foot of the statue, they wrote “Gaza” and “Free Palestine.”

A burned American flag on the ground in Manhattan's Central Park on Monday. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

Anti-Israel agitators burned an American flag in front of a memorial honoring World War 1 soldiers inside Central Park. 

The disintegrated flag was spotted in front of the 107th U.S. Infantry Memorial at the 67th Street entrance of the park following a nearby protest at Hunter College.  

The memorial was also vandalized with pro-Palestinian slogans and stickers supporting Palestinians.  

Tents and trash are left behind at the site of a pro-Palestinian encampment which was cleared by police overnight on the UCLA campus on May 2 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Classes at the University of Californi a, Los Angeles will be held remotely through Friday, the school said Monday.

“Due to ongoing disruption, the campus has returned to limited operational status. Therefore, per Senate guidance, classes will move remote May 6-10,” the school said in a notice.

UCLA Extension classes scheduled to be held in person at the school's Westwood or main campus have been moved to a live-online format. Hours earlier, the school said classes on Monday would be remote before the announced extension.

The mandate came as a new round of anti-Israel protests began on campus Monday.

On Friday, the Graduate and Undergraduate Councils initially voted to authorize faculty to conduct remote learning through Friday without departmental authorization.

However, they were encouraged to return to in-person learning as soon as possible.

Anti-Israel agitators were arrested in New York as demonstrators marched in Manhattan on Monday night.

More than 100 protesters walked on the street chanting anti-Israel slogans while supporting Palestinians.

Video footage captured at 80th Street and Madison Avenue shows officers taking people into custody. Another clip shows officers and protesters clashing on a sidewalk.

The NYPD didn't immediately have figures for the number of arrests, which occurred just a few blocks from the Met Gala.

By 7:30 p.m. local time, the protesters left the area and officers secured the scene and were receiving other assignments.

Officers were also near the gala red carpet on Fifth Avenue.

The NYPD has made multiple arrests near the Met Gala on Monday. (Rashid Umar Abassi for Fox News Digital)

Anti-Israel agitators were protesting near the Monday evening Met Gala in New York City, as at least a dozen people were arrested.

Roughly 100 demonstrators were marching on the street along 80th Street and Madison Avenue, near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the A-list event was happening. They were heard chanting anti-Israel slogans and calling for an “intifada” revolution and “one solution."

They also called police officers' names.

Some were confronting officers, who were trying to get the protesters to move onto the sidewalk to let traffic pass through. The confrontations came amid a call by organizers for a “Day of Rage” in opposition to Israel.

Less than a mile away from the museum, protesters were gathering at Hunter College.

Melinda Roth, a professor at George Washington University Law School, called out anti-Israel students and protesters for spreading "hate" on campus.

"Instead of hanging out in your nice brand new paid from unknown sources green and white tents, why not send them to those displaced in Gaza who really need them?" Roth asked students in a public Facebook post. "After all, you have dorms and apartments that mommy and daddy are paying for right now."

"You have catered food and an all you can eat snack bar, why not send food to those you claim are starving?" she continued, calling out students for depending on "mommy and daddy" to pay for their apartments and dorm rooms. 

GWU is one of many universities across the U.S. that has seen student spaces overtaken by anti-Israel protests, usually in the form of tent encampments. The students have encamped on GWU's University Yard, one of the school's few green spaces on an urban campus that is nestled in Northwest D.C. 

"Since you are skipping classes (if you are actually a student), why not go volunteer to help in Gaza?" Roth asked. "Many American Jews have gone to help in Israel on farms and kibbutzes to provide missing labor as so many Israelis have been called up to military service. If you really want to help, why don't you go where you really could make a difference for the people you profess to be supporting?"

Fox News Digital's Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report.

A man waving an Israeli flag in the middle of a large anti-Israel crowd at a New York City college was shouted down Monday.

Video footage of the gathering at Hunter College shows a man wearing Orthodox Jewish attire displaying a Palestinian flag and calling out the man with a small Israeli flag.

The crowd then began chanting “Shame of you!” at the Israel supporter. A female then put a large Palestinian flag in his face before he moved away, according to the footage.

The crowd gathered at the Upper East Side campus as demonstrations continue on college campuses nationwide.

Anti-Israel protesters gather outside of Hunter College in in New York on Monday. (WNYW)

Dozens of anti-Israel agitators  began protesting at Hunter College in New York City on Monday, not far from where celebrities and other A-listers will gather in the evening for the annual Met Gala.

A group called for a “Day of Rage for Gaza” at the Manhattan college to protest Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, about a mile away, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosting the star-studded event, which features some of the biggest names in music, art, fashion and film, but it was not clear if the agitators planned to target that gathering.

Since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, protesters have disrupted other high-profile events in New York, including the 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting.

Video footage posted online shows agitators outside Hunter College behind barricades blocking multiple campus building entrances except one.

In anticipation of the protest, classes at Hunter College's main campus were held remotely. The campus is open, according to an alert issued by the City University of New York.

Sixty-four people were arrested at the University of California, San Diego as police were dismantling an anti-Israel encampment on campus, the school said Monday.

Of those arrested, 24 were not affiliated with the school, the school said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“The arrested students have been or will be placed under immediate interim suspension,” the statement said.

Earlier in the day, officials said campus police, the California Highway Patrol and San Diego County Sheriff’s Department “successfully and peacefully dismantled an illegal encampment.”

“The decision to vacate the site was based on danger arising from a prolonged event in terms of health, fire, safety and security," an earlier statement said. "One minor injury was reported.”

Photo illustration of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul over image of New York State.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state is prepared to assist universities with security plans so they can move forward with planned graduations amid weeks of anti-Israel protests that have disrupted campus life for students and staff.

Hochul, a Democrat, was speaking with MSNBC's host Johnathan Capehart on Monday when she was asked about the ongoing demonstrations at various colleges across New York state.

“One thing I do not want to do is have the lives and the families and all the young people who work so hard disrupted. I wanted them to have the benefit of walking across the stage,” she said. “I have sent a letter out to all the colleges in the state of New York. I said, 'My team will help you with security plans. We'll help you manage this. But let's not let this get out of control and deny these students this this right. There will be smaller graduations.'”

Protests at Columbia and New York universities have garnered alot of media attention amid clashes between demonstrators and police as well as the taking over of campus buildings.

Hochul said her office has spoken with administrations at NYU, Cornell University and multiple public universities about the gatherings and pro-Palestinian encampments proliferating on campuses.

“Everyone I called said they're going to continue as planned with graduations because that's important. We have to restore some sense of normalcy,” she said.

She noted that authorities respect the right to protest but will not tolerate destructive behavior.

“We have to, you know, work around the chaos and the people's legitimate right to protest," she said. "But when that right to protest crosses the line into stopping others from their rights, and then we have to get involved.”

A building on the Pomona College campus in Pomona, California. (Pomona College)

A pro-Palestinian student group at a Southern California university set up their second encampment on campus, the area where a stage for the upcoming commencement ceremony is slated to be held.

Pomona Divest from Apartheid at Pomona College said the encampment was erected at 5 a.m. on Graduation Lawn, where a stage is being constructed. The group is demanding the college divest from Israel and companies that do business with the Jewish state.

“NO COMMENCEMENT UNTIL DIVESTMENT,” the group posted on Instagram.

The encampment came after more than 20 students were arrested last month as they were staging a sit-in at Alexander Hall to protest the school's removal of a “mock apartheid wall” in another part of campus.

In response to the new camp, the school asked students to avoid the area.

“Our students, faculty, staff and alumni hold a range of viewpoints. Throughout the year, college leaders have offered to meet with student protesters and will continue to do so," the school said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "We will promote safety for all members of our community and pursue our educational mission, considering the full range of viewpoints.”

Authorities in New York City are bracing for possible unrest near Monday's star-studded Met Gala as anti-Israel groups called for a “Day of Rage” protest at a nearby college.

Security will be heightened in and around the Metropolitan Museum of Art as celebrities will gather for the annual event that routinely brings out A-listers, the New York Post reported.

“We are using every tool at our disposal,” a source told the newspaper. “We approach this like we do all large-scaled events — examining information and applying it to a measured and calculated response should the need arise.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the New York Police Department.

The security concerns came amid news that Within Our Lifetime, an anti-Israel group, called for a larger gathering at Hunter College, located about a mile from the museum, for a “Citywide Day of Rage for Gaza.”

It was not clear if the group plans to disrupt the gala but similar protests have become chaotic in recent weeks

Students rally on the UCLA campus in support of Palestinians caught up in the war between Israel and Hamas, Oct. 12, 2023. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The University of California, Los Angeles is moving all classes online amid anti-Israel protests that have disrupted campus life for several weeks.

“All classes are moving remote today 5/6 and campus operations are limited due to ongoing disruptions,” the school said in an alert notice.

Employees were encouraged to work remotely if possible, and all events and research activities were also urged to go remote or be rescheduled.

"Law enforcement is stationed around campus to help promote safety and actively monitor conditions. Student Affairs has staff on campus to support our students," officials said.

The university previously canceled classes for three days following clashes between protesters and authorities at an encampment on campus that was being cleared by police.

In a Monday social media post, the UCLA chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine said 37 people had been arrested at a parking structure. Protesters were also planning a “sit in” at Moore Hall on campus.

Students chant during a pro-Palestinian protest at Emory University on April 25 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images)

Emory University in Atlanta is moving its commencement ceremony to a suburb amid safety and security concerns following weeks of anti-Israel protests on campus.

The ceremony will be scaled back upon its move to an indoor complex in Duluth, Georgia, which includes the Gas South Arena and the Gas South Convention Center.

"Please know that this decision was not taken lightly," university President Gregory L. Fenves said in a Monday statement. "It was made in close consultation with the Emory Police Department, security advisors, and other agencies — each of which advised against holding Commencement events on our campuses.

Fenves noted that for many of the graduating seniors, their high school graduations were also disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Next Monday, we will celebrate all that you have accomplished since then," he said. "You will have your moment together, in person, alongside the people who matter to you the most. Each of your names will be read aloud, and each of you will be conferred an Emory degree.” 

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday that the city's stance remains "unchanged" regarding anti-Israel protests at The George Washington University.

"We live in a city, and where our job is, my constitutional responsibility is to make sure that people can safely protest," she said. "And if they don't, then to support a law enforcement interaction."

GWU's president issued a statement overnight saying that what is happening on campus "is not a peaceful protest." 

“I fully support and encourage our community to speak out and engage in controversial and critical dialogues on these crucial issues -- as long as they occur within the limits of our university's policies and the District's laws,” GWU President Ellen Granberg said. “However, what is currently happening at GW is not a peaceful protest protected by the First Amendment or our university’s policies.” 

Columbia Law alum Robert Charles told ‘Fox & Friends’ on Monday that “the goal of these protests which are synchronized nationwide is obviously to create a degree of chaos.” 

“You don’t see students jumping up and down protesting the killing and imprisonment of millions in China or Iran or Cuba or Venezuela. This one is one that has been carefully I think, pre-planned and organized, and I think part of the thing we are not really addressing right now is that there are forces behind this that really want chaos on campuses,” he added. 

“Are there legitimate issues here? Yes. Should they be discussed in earnest? Yes,” Charles also said. “But the violence that occurred at UCLA, the kind of thing that’s happening in Washington and New York is really violence I think for the sake of violence and it’s really sad to see it. Because of all places to see it at Columbia Law School is a tremendous disappointment.” 

Israeli soldiers drive a tank at a staging ground near the border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, on Sunday, May 5. (AP/Tsafrir Abayov)

The Hamas terrorist group announced Monday that it has accepted a cease-fire agreement brokered by Egypt and Qatar to end the war against Israel in the Gaza Strip.

It released a statement saying its leader Ismail Haniyeh "had a phone call with the Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani, and with the Egyptian Minister of Intelligence, Mr. Abbas Kamel, and informed them of the Hamas movement’s approval of their proposal regarding the ceasefire agreement."

There was no immediate response from Israel. The fate of the hostages still in Hamas' possession following its Oct. 7 attack on Israel that launched the war remains uncertain.

Fox News' Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

A University of Chicago assistant professor said Monday that it is “absurd” that schools are cancelling their graduation ceremonies over fears about disruptions from anti-Israel protesters. 

Eman Abdelhadi made the comment while speaking with other faculty members who are part of a group called the University of Chicago Faculty for Justice in Palestine. Hours earlier, Columbia University announced the cancellation of its main commencement event in part over what an official described as security concerns. 

“I think it's frankly absurd that universities are canceling their commencement addresses in fear of a few students doing innocuous things like saying free Palestine or holding up a sign or wearing a kaffiyeh around their necks,” Abdelhadi said. “It really speaks to the incredible fragility of this system, that that is seen as a major threat.” 

A group of anti-Israel protesters have been captured on video Monday breaking through a barricade set up on the campus of UC San Diego, where arrests have been made. 

More than 50 protesters have already been taken into custody early Monday at a pro-Palestinian encampment there, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper.  

“UC San Diego's West Campus operations are suspended from North Torrey Pines Road to Interstate 5 due to police activity,” the school earlier said in a post on X.  

“Instruction is moving to remote operation. All West Campus facilities are closed. Housing and Dining remains open. All events scheduled for today on West Campus should be canceled, rescheduled or moved to remote operation,” it added. 

Scenes at UC San Diego showed police staring at the protesters behind the barrier that had been moved. 

Northeastern University police remove and arrest protesters one by one as they sit in zip tie handcuffs at a tent encampment on campus in Boston, Massachusetts, on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe/AP)

A faculty group in support of the pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the University of Chicago is slamming other schools Monday for calling on police to help break up the anti-Israel demonstrations. 

“The use of police force on university campuses across America is a dangerous precedent to set for the future of our country,” Allyson Field, an associate professor and member of the University of Chicago Faculty for Justice in Palestine, said during a press conference. 

“Yesterday, university administrators suspended negotiations with student protesters. We are here as representatives of the University of Chicago Faculty for Justice in Palestine, a collective of over 120 faculty and staff, to urge administrators to resume negotiations in good faith and to continue to respect freedom of expression on campus,” Field said. 

“The university must not employ police force to put an end to student protests. To do so, would violate the university's duty to protect its students as well as their right to free expression. The use of police force on university campuses across America is a dangerous precedent to set for the future of our country,” she added.  

“The use of police force in these circumstances does not serve to protect, but rather to intimidate and silence,” Field also said. “The students' peaceful methods -- sitting, chanting, singing and speaking out -- are expressions of their commitment to nonviolence and their dedication to a just cause.” 

Last week, a student at the encampment at the University of Chicago said "We demand that U Chicago, divest from weapons manufacturers arming Israel and its partnerships with militarized Israeli universities, and cut ties with the Israel Institute" and "We also demand that U Chicago, divest from all interrelated forces of death and violence into which it is currently complicit, especially fossil fuel production, UCPD and construction projects that fuel South Side displacement."

The encampment at Harvard University on Thursday, April 25. (AP/Ben Curtis)

Interim Harvard University President Alan Garber has released a statement Monday calling for protesters at a pro-Palestinian encampment there to pack up and go home as their continued presence poses “a significant risk to the educational environment of the University.” 

“Over the last 12 days, the encampment in Harvard Yard has disrupted our educational activities and operations. The right to free speech, including protest and dissent, is vital to the work of the research university. But it is not unlimited,” Garber said. “It must be exercised in a time, place, and manner that respects the right of our community members to do their work, pursue their education, and enjoy the opportunities that a residential campus has to offer.” 

"The encampment favors the voices of a few over the rights of many who have experienced disruption in how they learn and work at a critical time of the semester," Garber continued. "I call on those participating in the encampment to end the occupation of Harvard Yard.

“I write today with this simple message: The continuation of the encampment presents a significant risk to the educational environment of the University. Those who participate in or perpetuate its continuation will be referred for involuntary leave from their Schools,” he warned. “Among other implications, students placed on involuntary leave may not be able to sit for exams, may not continue to reside in Harvard housing, and must cease to be present on campus until reinstated.” 

Garber said the encampment has spawned “safety concerns” and reports of intimidation and harassment. 

“Such actions are indefensible and unacceptable,” he also said. “As first-year students move out and as we begin our extensive preparations for Commencement, this ongoing violation of our policies becomes more consequential. Thousands of family members, friends, and loved ones will soon join us to celebrate the achievements of graduate and undergraduate students who have earned the right to walk in Commencement.” 

The statue of George Washington that stands on the campus of The George Washington University remains vandalized Monday after the school's president issued a statement overnight saying that what is happening on campus "is not a peaceful protest." 

“History has repeatedly shown that there are many effective ways for communities to express their differing viewpoints lawfully within the District of Columbia. In the last seven months alone, at GW, we have seen this play out on all sides of the war between Israel and Hamas. I know that some in our community and others across the country argue that this, too, is simply a peaceful protest – and, at certain times, this has been true,” President Ellen Granberg said. 

“However, when protesters overrun barriers established to protect the community, vandalize a university statue and flag, surround and intimidate GW students with antisemitic images and hateful rhetoric, chase people out of a public yard based on their perceived beliefs, and ignore, degrade, and push GW Police Officers and university maintenance staff, the protest ceases to be peaceful or productive,” she continued.  

“I fully support and encourage our community to speak out and engage in controversial and critical dialogues on these crucial issues -- as long as they occur within the limits of our university's policies and the District's laws,” Granberg also said. “However, what is currently happening at GW is not a peaceful protest protected by the First Amendment or our university’s policies.” 

A tent encampment remains Monday on the campus of GWU.

Demonstrators there say they will not let the university's administration tell them what to do.

Fox News' Mark Meredith contributed to this report.

More than 50 protesters have been arrested early Monday at a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of UC San Diego, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper. 

Around 7 a.m. local time, tents at the encampment were seen dismantled while protesters were heard chanting “free, free Palestine!”, it reported. 

“UC San Diego's West Campus operations are suspended from North Torrey Pines Road to Interstate 5 due to police activity,” the school said in a post on X. 

“Instruction is moving to remote operation. All West Campus facilities are closed. Housing and Dining remains open. All events scheduled for today on West Campus should be canceled, rescheduled or moved to remote operation,” it added. 

Protesters at the campus also were heard saying Monday to police “why are you in riot gear?”

Fox News' Tamara Gitt contributed to this report.

An officer stands outside a Gaza Solidarity Encampment at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, on Wednesday, May 1. (AP/Matt Rourke)

Interim University of Pennsylvania President J. Larry Jameson released a statement Monday that the ongoing anti-Israel encampment at the school is making its Philadelphia campus “less safe,” according to The Daily Pennsylvanian student media organization. 

In a message sent out to the university community around 7 a.m. this morning, Jameson reportedly called for the encampment to disband but noted that officials were taking a “measured” approach to avoid an escalation that could cause a “further disruption.” 

"However, we are concerned that many of the protestors occupying the encampment on College Green are seeking such a confrontation," Jameson was quoted by The Daily Pennsylvanian as saying. "We have heard reports of circulating documents with instructions for escalating a protest, including through building occupations and violence." 

"Every day the encampment exists, the campus is less safe," Jameson reportedly added. "Some have aimed to characterize this as a peaceful protest. It is not." 

A California imam has been captured on video saying that anti-Israel protesters will be “rewarded by Allah” for striking fear into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – whom he compared to Hitler – and his “thugs.” 

"We say [to Netanyahu] that the only comparison today between Nazi Germany and that whole fiasco – that terrible situation – and what is going on today is that you, Netanyahu, are similar to Hitler and Zionism is similar to Nazism,” said Tarik Ata, the imam of the Orange County Islamic Foundation, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). 

"My final message to the college students: We are watching these events – because a lot of these college students think that the mosques, the imams, the Muslim organizations really don't know what is going on, and we are not there to support them. No, no. We see exactly what is going on and we are inspired by your bravery,” Ata continued in video posted by MEMRI. “We are impressed by your courage, and we love you and what you are doing. 

"I remind you that every step you take for the sake of Allah in this cause will get you rewards, that every ounce of fear and anger that you put in the heart of Netanyahu and his thugs, and all those who support, collaborate, and finance this violent and inhumane war against a primarily civilian population – every ounce of fear that you put in their hearts by your lawful protests is rewarded by Allah,” he also said. 

Former President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media before entering the courtroom at Manhattan criminal court, on Monday, May 6, in New York. (AP/Julia Nikhinson/POOL)

President Trump said Monday outside of his trial in New York City that “It just came out... Columbia just canceled their commencement. That shouldn’t happen.  

“And it also came out that the protesters, many of the protesters, are backed by Biden’s donors. Are you listening Israel? I hope you are listening Israel, hope you are getting smart,” Trump added. “But they are backed by Biden donors, that is where the money is coming from and I’m not surprised at all.” 

President Biden’s biggest Democratic donors are funding some anti-Israel protests that have taken over college campuses, according to a report. 

President Biden’s biggest Democratic donors are also funding some anti-Israel protests that have taken over college campuses, according to a report.

While some anti-Israel student protesters and agitators chant "Genocide Joe" in reference to Biden and his administration’s policies, an analysis by Politico found the donors contributing both to Biden and to some of these protest groups include George Soros, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, David Rockefeller Jr., and Susan and Nick Pritzker, heirs to the Hyatt hotel empire.

Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow are two of the main groups that have organized protests on some college campuses nationwide, including at Columbia University in New York City, according to Politico. The outlet’s analysis found that both groups are supported by the Tides Foundation, which in turn is bolstered with funds from Soros. It also found that the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, which has Rockefeller Jr. on its board, gave $300,000 to the Tides Foundation in 2022.

The protests may muddle Biden’s efforts to rally the support of young voters going into the presidential election.

Columbia University announced Monday that it is cancelling its university-wide commencement ceremony in exchange for a series of smaller events.

A university official tells Fox News that security concerns in the wake of recent anti-Israel protests on campus was one of the main reasons in deciding to cancel the larger event.

"Our Deans and other colleagues who work directly with our students have been discussing plans with student leaders, and, most importantly, listening. Based on their feedback, we have decided to make the centerpiece of our Commencement activities our Class Days and school-level ceremonies, where students are honored individually alongside their peers, rather than the University-wide ceremony that is scheduled for May 15," Columbia said in a statement.

"Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families," it continued. "As a result, we will focus our resources on those school ceremonies and on keeping them safe, respectful, and running smoothly."

Columbia University has been rocked by a wave of antisemitic protests that have resulted in more than 100 arrests.

"These past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for our community. Just as we are focused on making our graduation experience truly special, we continue to solicit student feedback and are looking at the possibility of a festive event on May 15 to take the place of the large, formal ceremony," Columbia also said.

Fox News' Madison Alworth contributed to this report.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum told 'Fox & Friends' on Monday that President Biden's "weakness" on the global stage is a driving factor behind the anti-Israel protests that are rocking U.S. college campuses. 

“These protests wouldn’t be happening if Joe Biden hadn’t invited these wars that are happening all over the world because of his weakness, everything from the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Russia invasion, Oct. 7, all of this is because we are not projecting power,” Burgum, a Republican, said. 

“The biggest thing that Biden has done from a weakness standpoint is he’s allowed Iran – who is funding all these terrorists – to get back in the game again in energy production. President Trump had Iran on their knees financially and now they are back -- [Biden] lifted all the sanctions, he gave them $6 billion for five hostages,” Burgum continued. “I mean Joe Biden’s actions of appeasement with Iran is what is funding the wars abroad and it's what is driving the protests at home.” 

An aerial shot of protesters at Princeton University on Thursday, April 25, in New Jersey. (WTXF)

At least 17 students are participating Monday in an ongoing hunger strike at Princeton University, according to the school's student newspaper. 

“Participants will abstain from all food and drink (except water) until our demands are met. We commit our bodies to their liberation of Palestine. PRINCETON, hear us now! We will not be moved!” read an Instagram post on Friday from a group calling itself Princeton Israeli Apartheid Divest.  

David Chmielewski, one of the hunger strike's organizers, has said during a meeting at an encampment at Princeton that if the university's president wants to “watch us starve on his lawn, then that’s what we’ll do,” The Daily Princetonian reports. 

It added that 17 undergraduate protesters are involved in the hunger strike.  

A student group at Oxford University announced Monday that a “liberated zone in solidarity with Gaza” has been set up on the England campus. 

“We join over 145 universities across the globe who refuse to continue business as usual while our institutions profit from and facilitate genocide,” the Oxford Action for Palestine wrote on Instagram. 

It vowed to remain at the encampment “until our demands our met.” 

The group is calling on Oxford University to divest from Israel and arms companies, among other demands. 

They also want Oxford to “publicly commit to supporting, through financial and material means, the Palestinian-led rebuilding of the twelve universities that have been completely, or in part destroyed by Israeli aggression in the last year.” 

A Harvard University student detailed what is happening beyond the locked gates of the school's Yard, arguing that the encampment at the center of campus is a "pro-terrorist hate fest" that needs to be removed.

Alex Bernat, a junior undergraduate student at Harvard University, told Fox News Digital that the encampment at the school popped up over a week ago and has been "extraordinarily disruptive" to daily life. 

"They regularly chant for intifada. They use amplified sound in the Yard. It's finals period. People live in the Yard. They want to study. They're disruptive to people studying. They are antisemitic on a visceral level," Bernat said.

"It needs to go. The encampment needs to be disbanded," he added.

Those in the encampment are asking Harvard for disclosure of investments, divestment from Israel, and amnesty for protesters. Bernat said these were "asinine demands," considering Harvard does not divest from any other country and protesters are in violation of time, place and manner restrictions. 

USC masters student Sarah Schornstein told 'Fox & Friends First' on Monday that she is “excited for what it to come but it's definitely disappointing for sure and not what I was expecting for the end of my college career” after the university changed its graduation ceremony plans amid anti-Israel protests. 

University of Southern California had announced Thursday that it was canceling its main stage commencement ceremony for 2024 graduates as anti-Israel protests had shut down its campus, drawing a backlash. 

"With the new safety measures in place this year, the time needed to process the large number of guests coming to campus will increase substantially. As a result, we will not be able to host the main stage ceremony that traditionally brings 65,000 students, families, and friends to our campus all at the same time and during a short window from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.," USC stated on its website. 

Instead, the event will be held at a “portion” of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, according to USC. 

“I think the ultimate reason why did they did change it is because these encampments on campus have not only been interrupting finals and interrupting students’ activity on school property, but they have also been vandalizing different parts of campus,” Schornstein said. 

Fox News' Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

The New York Stock Exchange with a Hims & Hers Health, Inc banner is pictured in New York City in January 2021. (Reuters/Carlo Allegri/Getty Images)

Hims & Hers founder and CEO Andrew Dudum said Sunday that his previous comments offering support for anti-Israel protesters on college campuses were "misconstrued by some" after the company's stock dipped.

In a thread on X, Dudum said he wished to clarify his earlier comments and said he does not support violence, antisemitism or intimidation.

"The last few days have been a disheartening reflection of just how divisive a time we live in," Dudum began. "I'd like to clarify a few things because my words have been misconstrued by some."

"I, in no way condone nor support acts or threats of violence, antisemitism, or intimidation and there is absolutely no justification for violence on our campuses," he continued. "Every student deserves to feel safe without fear of harm or being targeted for who they are. I am deeply saddened that my support for peaceful protest has been interpreted by some as encouraging violence, intimidation, or bigotry of any kind."

This comes after Dudum, whose company provides telehealth services and prescription medication for issues such as hair loss, erectile dysfunction and skin problems, said Wednesday that demonstrators' future employment is not as important as standing up for the cause they believe in.

"Moral courage > College degree If you're currently protesting against the genocide of the Palestinian people & for your university's divestment from Israel, keep going," Dudum wrote on X. "It's working. There are plenty of companies & CEOs eager to hire you, regardless of university discipline."

Euphoric students at Brown University celebrate their deal on divestment. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP)

As nationwide anti-Israel demonstrations on college campuses near three weeks of activity, some universities have requested the assistance of police to deal with the problem, while others have caved in and agreed to certain demands by the protesters.  

The decisions by administrators to either concede some demands of the protesters or allow their activity to continue, stand out amid the chaotic scenes and more than 2,400 arrests on dozens of campuses nationwide since mid-April. Tent encampments and building takeovers have disrupted classes at some schools, including Columbia, USC and UCLA. 

The protesters have mostly demanded that their university cut all ties with Israel, including study abroad programs and links to the Israeli military, now embroiled in the war in Gaza.

Rutgers University, Brown University and Northwestern University are some of the universities that have reached agreements with the protesters. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.