Harvard anti-Israel protesters fly Palestinian flag as demonstrations ramp up across country
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WORLD  29 April 2024 - 16:52

Anti-Israeli protesters at Harvard University flew a Palestinian flag at the Ivy League school in a spot usually reserved for the American flag as campus demonstrations continue to spiral out of control.

The shocking display on Saturday came as radical students continued to occupy the campus, with video circulating online showing three students raising the Palestinian flag over the iconic statue of John Harvard — where the Stars & Stripes are intended to fly, New York Post reports.

According to The Harvard Crimson, the flag-raising incident took place shortly after 6:30 p.m. In total three flags were hoisted at the campus, the report said.

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Harvard anti-Israel protesters fly Palestinian flag in spot reserved for Stars & Stripes as demonstrations ramp up across country

Anti-Israeli protesters at Harvard University flew a Palestinian flag at the Ivy League school in spot usually reserved for the… pic.twitter.com/tY4OV4zBUM

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A spokesperson for the university said the students’ actions violated Harvard’s policy.

“The flags raised by protesters over University Hall were removed by Harvard facilities staff,” the spokesperson told The Post. “The actions are a violation of University policy and the individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary action.”

But online users had even stronger reactions.

“These pro-Hamas protesters’ sole agenda is to eradicate every western value and every basic human right while establishing an Islamic Sharia law regime,” X user Mor Hogeg posted.

“They are starting with the Jews in Israel as their main objective and will continue with the entire west,” he wrote. “It is not a fight of Israel against Hamas – the fight is between a culture of life and a culture of death. WAKE UP!”

Another user called for armed intervention.

“This is where the National Guard needs to be called in,” Mark Isaacson wrote. “On the other hand, with our representatives in congress waving Ukrainian flags, it’s not as if these young people have great role models.”

The Crimson said the flag pole at the Harvard statue typically flies the American flag but has also had the flags of visiting foreign dignitaries displayed when they come by the campus.

The outlet said there was no US flag flying at the time of Saturday’s incident, and said the Stars & Stripes is typically hoisted at 7 a.m. from Monday through Friday and lowered at 4 p.m. “for proper storage.”

The hoisting of the Palestinian flag came as anti-Israeli students encamped on the school grounds chanted and cheered, “Free, free Palestine,” and “We flay for Palestine.”

Similar scenes have played out at college campuses throughout the US, including Columbia University in the Big Apple and other Ivy League universities.

The demonstrations were sparked by Israel’s counteroffensive in response to a sneak attack on the Jewish State by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 that left more than 1,000 Israelis dead.

According to the Harvard Crimson, university staffers pulled down the Palestinian flag shortly after it was run up the flagpole on Saturday, as students jeered at them.

Caliber.Az