Q&A: Sunil Kumar on federal threats to higher education, the future of Tufts

Student demonstrators held a protest at Ballou Hall in support of Palestine on Nov. 17, 2023, demanding that Tufts end its ties to Israeli institutions and denounce Israel’s assault on Gaza. In the weeks following the protest, 18 students received disciplinary violations, one student had their study abroad privileges revoked and Tufts Students for Justice in Palestine publicly alleged on Instagram that Tufts University Police Department officers had engaged in physical and verbal harassment against students.

In a month-long investigation, the Daily interviewed student protesters, solicited statements from TUPD and reviewed video evidence and eyewitness accounts in an effort to understand what exactly happened during the demonstration. The Daily corroborated many of the protesters’ claims that officers used physical force and verbal intimidation in a way that made students feel unsafe.