Over 200 Yale students established an encampment at Beinecke Plaza late Tuesday night, launching a protest against the upcoming appearance of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir at a nearby private Jewish society. The controversial politician, widely criticized for his far-right ideology, is making his first visit to the United States, with scheduled stops in New Haven on Wednesday and New York on Thursday.
The demonstration, reminiscent of last year’s Gaza solidarity encampment, erupted just as Yale welcomes over 1,300 prospective students for Bulldog Days—its largest admissions event of the year. Protesters erected eight tents and linked arms in a human chain, directly violating university policies that prohibit unauthorized structures and late-night gatherings.
University officials arrived around 10 p.m. to issue formal warnings, citing multiple policy breaches and threatening disciplinary action or arrest. In response, students rallied with chants of defiance, including the repeated phrase, “Do not scan the QR code,” in reference to Yale’s attempt to document those present.
The protest was organized by an autonomous student group not formally affiliated with Yale’s existing pro-Palestinian coalitions. Organizers say the encampment is both a condemnation of Ben-Gvir’s presence and a statement against the university’s silence on what they consider a deeply divisive event.
As the encampment holds its ground, anticipation and anxiety mount on campus ahead of Ben-Gvir’s controversial arrival. Whether the university will escalate enforcement or enter dialogue with the protesters remains uncertain, but the message from the plaza is clear: some students believe Yale cannot remain neutral when far-right extremism enters the conversation.