'The Encampments': A New Documentary Showing US College Campus Protests
A new documentary is released recently, which throws light on the US college campus protests about Israeli’s genocide against Palestinans in the Gaza Strip. The documentary was filmed over months and shows how the movement spread to dozens of universities where students called for an end to ties with Israel.
The documentary “The Encampments” focuses on 2024 US college protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, which escalated after mass arrests at Columbia University over demands for divestment from Israel.
The documentry is co-directed by Kei Pritsker, who says how the documentary deconstruct the false narratives of the college adminstration to crackdown on the students.
Read also: Protest In Somerville Over Tufts Grad Student Rumeysa Ozturk’s ICE Detention
Micheal T Workman, another co-director of the documentary said, “the viewers can actually see what it was like to be on the encampment and to understand why student did what they did”.
The film also features the detained former Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil, who was born and raised in a Palestinian refugee camp. He is now facing deportation from the US following his activism despite being a legal resident.
The protests, part of a wider movement, saw students at universities like Brown and Pomona arrested for occupying buildings, with 8% of US college students participating per a May 2024 Axios poll.
Notably, US has also relaying on online databases such as Canary Mission to target students who are participating in pro-Palestine or anti-Israel protests on campus.
Read also: Students To Sue Columbia University For Suspension Over Palestine Solidarity Protests
Canary Mission is a controversial online database that tracks and publishes profiles of individuals and organizations it claims to be involved in anti-Israel or antisemitic activities, particularly on college campuses in the U.S. and Canada. The site primarily focuses on students, academics, and activists who support movements like Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) against Israel.
