United States: On Tuesday, the U.S. government announced it would evaluate a situation at the University of Washington where pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupied a campus building to force the school to end its Boeing (BA.N) business due to military equipment contracts with Israel, as reported by Reuters.
Trump Administration Labels Protest as Antisemitic Incident
President Donald Trump’s administration treated this incident as antisemitic activity. The federal government commended the university and police departments, but insisted that the school should enforce security protocols while changing relevant policies.
An announcement from the university revealed the arrest of thirty pro-Palestinian activists who occupied a campus building late on Monday night. Prosecutors will evaluate trespassing, property destruction, and disorderly conduct charges.
Boeing’s Financial Ties to UW Under Fire
Boeing made a $10 million contribution to the university for constructing an engineering facility in 2022.
Chaos erupted at UW last night after pro-Palestinian protesters took over an engineering building, renamed it “Shaban al-Dalou,” and barricaded the entrances with scooters and furniture. A fire was set. 30+ arrests made. Seattle police cleared the scene by morning. 👮♂️💥 pic.twitter.com/OzoEzHeBvq
— SEATTLESUBMISSIONS (@SEATTLESUBMISS) May 6, 2025
“The Task Force’s review is in response to the eruption of antisemitic harassment and violence that occurred Monday, May 5 at UW’s campus in Seattle,” the U.S. Education Department, Health Department, and General Services Administration said in a statement.
The university declined to issue any immediate response following the Trump administration’s statements on Tuesday night.
Super UW members informed the media that police officers had displaced students who were occupying the building. Security personnel arrested 30 individuals but eventually freed some of them.
Tensions Rise Over Free Speech and Federal Threats
The Trump administration warned educational institutions about losing federal support because of their pro-Palestinian demonstrations opposing Israel’s Gaza invasion, which started following Palestinian Hamas militants’ attacks on Israel in October 2023.
BREAKING: Complete chaos at the University of Washington, pro-Palestinians took over a building and began setting fires on campus. If any of these people doing this are students on visas, they should be deported ASAP @marcorubio pic.twitter.com/lFRLM79Iap
— The 🐰🕳️ (@TheHoleTweet) May 6, 2025
The Trump administration attempted to deport certain protesters, yet free speech advocates, along with academic freedom defenders, expressed their strong opposition to these actions.
Debate Deepens Over Protest Motives and Mislabeling
Trump characterizes these protests as expressions of antisemitic tendencies and shows support for the militant group Hamas, as reported by Reuters.
Some Jewish organizations and other protesters argue that the government misinterprets their criticism targeting Israeli military operations in Gaza as anti-Semitic and equates their support for Palestinian liberation with backing extremist elements.