Indian student at Princeton expelled for pro-Palestine protest
An Indian-origin student at Princeton University, Achinthya Sivalingam, was arrested and subsequently expelled following her participation in a pro-Palestine demonstration on campus. As the Israel-Hamas war continues, major universities across the United States (US) are embroiled in protests. According to reports, Sivalingam, born in Coimbatore and raised in Columbus, Ohio, was taken into custody last Thursday alongside fellow student Hassan Sayed after erecting tents in the university's McCosh Courtyard despite warnings from university officials.
Why does this story matter?
Several people have been arrested after police quelled pro-Palestine protests at universities across the US. The movement initially began at Columbia University and has since spread to other institutions including prestigious Ivy League schools such as Harvard and Yale. In the light of the incident, the University of Texas's Austin campus witnessed police detaining around 20 students after 100 state troopers arrived on the scene.
Princeton University has banned Sivalingam
Following the arrest of Sivalingam and Sayed, other demonstrators dismantled their tents but continued with a sit-in protest. The demonstration initially attracted around 110 participants, but by Thursday afternoon the numbers had swelled to approximately 300. In response to these events, Princeton University has banned Sivalingam pending further disciplinary proceedings.
