Yale students protest Ben-Gvir's visit with overnight camp

Over 200 Yale University students held an overnight demonstration on Tuesday evening to protest the upcoming speech by 'Israeli' Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir near the university’s campus.

The protest, which started with around 25 participants at 6 PM, quickly grew, with demonstrators setting up eight tents by 9:30 PM (01:30 GMT). Protest organizers declared, “We’re here, and we’re staying the night,” through a megaphone, signaling their intent to continue the protest until the following morning.

Ben-Gvir, a far-right 'Israeli' politician known for his extremist views, is making his first tour of the US, with scheduled stops in New Haven and New York. A representative from Shabtai, the Jewish organization hosting Ben-Gvir’s talk, defended the event as a necessary means of maintaining Yale's status as a "moderate safe haven for Jews" amidst what he called a "toxic Ivy community."

The protest was organized by an independent group of students, including members of the Sumud Coalition, a pro-Palestinian student group. They voiced their opposition to Ben-Gvir’s visit, criticizing Yale’s silence on the matter. This protest follows a larger campus-wide demonstration in April 2024, where students called on Yale to sever ties with arms manufacturers in response to 'Israel's' actions in Gaza.

During the 2024 protests, 48 people were arrested, including 44 students, when police dismantled encampments set up across campus. The protests were fueled by 'Israel’s' military offensive in Gaza, which has led to significant casualties, with over 51,000 lives lost since the war began in October 2023.

Ben-Gvir’s speech at the Shabtai event, which is not officially affiliated with Yale, is expected to continue despite the protests. The demonstration highlights growing tensions on campuses nationwide over the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Israel’s policies in Gaza.