Campus Protests Led to More Than 3,100 Arrests, but Many Charges Have Been Dropped

The spate of pro-Palestinian protests and encampments engulfed academic institutions of all sizes in nearly every part of the country.

As pro-Palestinian demonstrations rocked college campuses this spring with protests of the war in Gaza, many university administrators found themselves eager to quell the action however they could. Some negotiated with the demonstrators. Many sent in the police.

When Columbia University called in the police in April to break up an encampment, it was the first major detainment of protesters. Since then, more than 3,100 people have been arrested or detained on campuses across the country. Most were charged with trespassing or…