Dublin, Ireland

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As the pro-Palestine protests and encampments led by students continue to stall classes across colleges in the United States and Europe, one college finally agreed to their demand of divesting from Israeli firms.

A five-day encampment was ended by the students at Trinity College Dublin after the university agreed to end its ties with Israeli companies.

On Wednesday night (May 8), the student leaders claimed their victory in the protests which disrupted the campus and blocked people's access to the Book of Kells.

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A deal has been reached between the senior management and protesters, said the university, in a statement. 

Also Read: Pro-Palestinian protests spark clashes and arrests across European campuses

“Trinity will complete a divestment from investments in Israeli companies that have activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and appear on the UN blacklist,” the university said. “Trinity will endeavour to divest from investments in other Israeli companies," it added.

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The statement further clarified that the supplier list of the college contained just one Israeli company which will remain till March 2025 for contractual reasons. 

The encampment started on May 3 when pro-Palestinian protesters established dozens of tents in Fellows’ Square.

Police arrest 33 protesters at DC campus 

Meanwhile, police resorted to pepper spray to clear a pro-Palestinian tent encampment set up on the campus of George Washington University and arrested dozens of students on Wednesday (May 8) as city officials were about to appear before hostile lawmakers in Congress to give details about how they handled the two-week-old protest.

The hearing was cancelled by the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability as its chairman and other Republicans welcomed the police action. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “It should not require threatening to haul DC’s mayor before Congress to keep Jewish students at George Washington University safe.”

Watch: Pro-Palestinian protest in Amsterdam turns violent

Mayor Muriel Bowser said that she and Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith have decided to remove the camp because of signs that “the protest was becoming more volatile and less stable.” 

These included indications that protesters had “gathered improvised weapons” and were “casing” university buildings and most likely had the intention of occupying them, said the police.

(With inputs from agencies)