UN chief urges 'wisdom' in managing pro-Palestine protests at universities

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on university administrations to use “wisdom" in addressing the protests in solidarity with Palestine.

Emphasizing the importance of upholding freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration in all circumstances, Guterres told reporters that "it is obvious that hate speech is unacceptable."

"I believe it is up to the university authorities have the wisdom to properly manage situations like the ones we have witnessed," he said.

Protests are sweeping college campuses in the US following a police attempt to clear a pro-Palestine encampment at Columbia University New York, resulting in the arrest of more than 100 students.

Students in several countries including Canada, Australia, France and Egypt, have held demonstrations at their universities in solidarity with Palestine.

The demonstrators are demanding their schools financially divest from Israel, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas incursion which Israel said killed less than 1,200 people.