The ongoing debate around how colleges and cities are handling pro-Palestinian protests played out here in Washington, D.C. today.

Early this morning, hours before Mayor Muriel Bowser was set to testify on Capitol Hill about this, police

used pepper spray to clear encampments and crowds at George Washington University.

Nearly three dozen people were arrested.

The hearing was later cancelled.

Over the last week, News Hour producers visited that campus and others across the country,

talking to students about why they're protesting,

about the language being used and the limits of

free speech.

Stephanie Sigh has our report.

For nearly two weeks on George Washington University's campus, more than 110s stretched across the lawn,

part of a demonstration by students from around the DC area.

Because that's why we're here, that's why we're doing what we're doing.

And I think a lot of students, I mean, after October 7th have been just feeling this frustration and

they've been feeling kind of this disgust with the world around them.

20-year-old Palestinian-American sophomore Selina El Shihavi says she has lost family members in the

conflict.

She's here because of the high death toll in Gaza. Now at more than 34,000 according to the Gaza Health Ministry and US military support

for Israel.

A lot of us, we've been taught that the freedom of speech the right to life the right to liberty

the right to pursuit of happiness that water food are basic rights that everyone should have and like seeing the United States

endorse this is just actually outrageous.

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