Pro-Palestinian protests at colleges across the United States have drawn national attention with crackdowns by some school administrators and law enforcement.
Waves of demonstrations have taken place since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that left about 1,200 dead. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its war in Gaza following the attack.
Critics say the demonstrators are "antisemitic" or promoting "antisemitism," saying that the pro-Palestinian movements on campus make Jewish students feel unsafe. While chants and actions that many view as antisemitic have occurred at some of the protests, many demonstrators say they are merely calling for a ceasefire and an end to the killing of Palestinians.
As protests continue, photos were shared online claiming to show Harvard University replacing the stars and stripes above one of its buildings with the Palestinian flag.
The Claim
A post on X, formerly Twitter, by conservative activist Graham Allen, posted on April 28, 2024, viewed 4.9 million times, included a video of the Palestinian flag being hoisted above a statue. A separate photo was included alongside the American flag in the same place.
Allen wrote: "Harvard has REPLACED the American flag with the Palestinian flag.
"They are teaching students to HATE America. Pull their funding."
The Facts
The post is misleading.
While the Palestinian flag was flown at Harvard over the weekend, it was not sanctioned by the university. It also did not replace a U.S. flag as there wasn't one flying at the time.
According to university newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, a group of three protesters raised the flag over the John Harvard statue at the Harvard Yard encampment on Saturday.
The U.S. flag was not flying at the time of the protest. Under Harvard University procedure, the American flag flies each Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. and is lowered at 4 p.m. for storage.
A spokesperson for Harvard told Newsweek: "The flags raised by protesters over University Hall were removed by Harvard facilities staff.
"The protesters' actions are a violation of University policy and the individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary action."
The Crimson reported that protesters raised three flags between 6 p.m. and 6:23 p.m. They were removed shortly after.
College campuses have not been the only homes for pro-Palestinian protests recently. Demonstrators flooded the streets outside the venue where President Joe Biden was slated to address the White House Correspondents Association over the weekend.
Protesters gathered outside the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night, when a large Palestinian flag was draped down the side of the hotel.
The Ruling
False.
Harvard University did not put up a Palestinian flag in one of its buildings. Protesters did so, briefly, over the weekend, before it was taken down by university staff. A spokesperson for Harvard said that those involved "will be subject to disciplinary action."
FACT CHECK BY Newsweek's Fact Check team
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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