TAMPA, Fla. — Pro-Palestine demonstrations are happening at universities across the country.
"We're out here to demand three things from the university, and that's to disclose their endowment to divest from the Israeli apartheid state and to defend the voices of pro-Palestinian students on campus," one student said.
"We plan to be out here until the university meets our demands, so however long that takes," said another student.
Some believe protesters have taken that sentiment to another level.
"When these people are chanting on the quad lawn of Emory University, and I have to stand by and hear that and be told I don't belong on campus," said a student. "I believe everyone has a right to protest. The problem is when it's threatening and people hold up signs saying Jews are Nazis."
"It's not easy standing here alone when the whole university is practically against us," said another student.
University leaders have doubled down on strict policies in place when it comes to peaceful protests. Those rules have led to arrests.
At the University of Florida last Thursday, officials sent a letter to students that outlined what is and is not allowed on campus at protests.
After, this stern message, “This is not complicated: The University of Florida is not a daycare, and we do not treat protesters like children—they knew the rules, they broke the rules and they’ll face the consequences.”
UF officials say many of the protesters were "outside agitators" but were warned nonetheless.
At the USF Monday night, three people were arrested.
USF said the student-led group, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, were on an interim suspension for disrupting campus last week. They decided to protest Monday, despite warnings from university officials.
When staff told them to stop and take down tents, which are prohibited on campus without prior approval, officials say the requests were ignored. A student, employee and someone not affiliated with the school were arrested.
USF said in a statement it, "values the right to free speech and protecting the constitutional right for individuals and groups on campus to express themselves. This includes peaceful protests and demonstrations that occur regularly on USF’s three campuses without incident and are part of the public discourse of a university. However, the expression of free speech must remain peaceful and not violate the law or USF policies. The university has been clear that violence, threats, harassment and disruptions will not be tolerated."
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