Pro-Palestinian students in the US ignored an ultimatum to end the protests

Pro-Palestinian protesting students at Columbia University said they will not stop demonstrating until their demands are met. This happened after they received an ultimatum to remove their tent camp by 2 p.m. local time, AFP reported.
Over the past few days, police have arrested about 275 people on 4 separate US campuses, and the White House has called for the demonstrations to remain peaceful.
On April 29, officials at New York's Columbia University issued a statement saying the protestors' encampment should be removed, and added that the university would not divest itself of financial holdings linked to Israel, a key demand of the demonstrators.
However, the protesting students fought back, vowing to defend their camp on the main lawn of the prestigious institution despite threats of suspension and disciplinary action after the 2pm deadline.
"These repulsive intimidation tactics mean nothing compared to the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians. We will not budge until Colombia meets our demands or ... we are forcibly relocated," said one student protester.
Protests against the war in Gaza, which has killed many Palestinians, are a challenge for university administrators trying to balance the right to free speech with complaints that the rallies are turning into anti-Semitism and hate speech.
Footage of police in riot gear being called to various colleges to break up rallies was seen around the world, reminiscent of the protest movement that erupted during the Vietnam War.
Clashes broke out at the University of California in Los Angeles on April 28 between pro-Palestinian protesters and supporters of Israel./BGNES