Student protests in various US states ahead of the presidential election are threatening the country’s national unity, CNN reports.
Tensions escalated on 30 April when police were forced to conduct operations in New York to clear the Columbia University campus of pro-Palestinian protesters. There were also clashes on at least 25 campuses in 21 states.
The TV station recalls that the protests were sparked by “horrific civilian casualties” in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is conducting a military operation.
Now these protests are exposing the ideological divide in the country and new political currents, the piece says. This will only exacerbate the situation in a country that has already experienced similar tensions over the trial of former and possibly next President Donald Trump, the journalists said.
And if the protests continue, they could exacerbate the election season, which would surely exacerbate national political alienation.
Earlier, violent clashes erupted on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in the US. Two groups of protesters, including supporters of Palestine and Israel, clashed.
