What does it mean for American teachers to join the protest?

Student led protests continue to spread across universities in the United States, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, Israel's withdrawal of funds, and its occupation of Palestinian land. At the same time, some faculty and staff have also joined this ranks, even standing on the side of students. In order to quell campus riots, especially as graduation ceremonies approach, many university management departments have been widely stopping demonstrations and in some cases punishing participants, which has sparked strong opposition from professors. At Emory University in Georgia, some faculty members were arrested during demonstrations in support of Palestine, including English and Indigenous Studies Professor Emil Kemer and Philosophy Department Director Noel McCafe.

Firstly, the arrest operation is still ongoing. On the 27th, at least 200 protesters were detained on three campuses in the United States. Indiana University Bloomington Police Department stated in an email statement that 23 protesters were arrested due to the camp not being demolished. Boston Northeastern University issued a statement on social media stating that it has decided to report to the police because "the student demonstrations that began two days ago were infiltrated by professional organizers unrelated to Northeastern University.". The Massachusetts police stated in a statement that they arrested 102 protesters who refused to leave. Arizona State University stated in a statement that campus police arrested 69 protesters earlier Saturday.

In addition, as protests swept across the campus, the University of Southern California cancelled its official graduation ceremony, and Muslim student Asna Tabasum delivered a farewell speech in public support of Palestine. 

Secondly, Princeton University professor Max Weiss, along with dozens of other faculty members from New Jersey, wrote an open letter in the school newspaper Princeton Daily, supporting protesters from Columbia University faculty and students. The letter reads: "We, the faculty and staff of Princeton University, declare our solidarity and support for the students of Columbia University and Barnard College, who continue to demand that the university withdraw its investment from Israel's genocide in Gaza and the ongoing occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and other areas."

In addition, professors and students from other universities in New York, such as New York University and City University of New York, were arrested during the protest. Although some educators at New York University were arrested shortly after praying to protect Muslim students, professors at the City University of New York stood together and formed roadblocks between students and police. They shouted in unison, "To get in touch with our students, you must pass through us."

Overall, joining the protest team by teachers signifies an escalation of the activity. The schools participating in the protests are mostly top universities in the United States, and many of these faculty and staff may become the backbone of American society in the future. Cultivating this group of highly educated talents requires a lot of time and effort. The current extreme behavior in the United States may lead to more people opposing each other, and these people will become the backbone of future society.