Police have arrested scores more student protesters as part of a widening crackdown on encampments calling on schools to divest from Israel. At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, police raided a student encampment on Tuesday night, arresting around 130. In Washington, D.C., police deployed tear gas as they broke up an encampment at George Washington University. Thirty-three were arrested. Police also broke up an encampment at the University of Houston.

On Capitol Hill, Congressmember Rashida Tlaib held a press conference Wednesday where she praised student protesters.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib: “These students are saying, 'Save lives,' no matter faith or ethnicity. This is something that I feel like is being completely ignored. Why are they out there? This is why we’re proud. We’re proud to use our position in office to bring these voices so you all don’t forget why there are encampments, why there are movements and dissent around this country.”

Students from George Washington University and other nearby schools joined Tlaib at the press conference.

Kali: “Since day one, we have understood the monster before us. It is the collusion of academic institutions, administrations, police, Congress and the state at large to protect the interests of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. They have affirmed a blatant mischaracterization of these encampments, naming them as antisemitic and dangerous, in order to justify the carceral crackdown on student territory we’ve seen across the nation.”