Pro-Palestinian protesters set up an encampment near Emerson College in Boston on Monday to protest the war in Gaza.Emerson students set up the encampment in an area off Boylston Street. Students and faculty said it's in solidarity with the pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Columbia University. "We were inspired by them. They called for universities across the country to do something similar so that's what we're doing out here occupying Emerson College," Emerson student Owen Buxton said.About 100 demonstrators are urging college officials to support a ceasefire in Gaza and to divest from companies and institutions that support Israel. "It is important for us to show up and to remind people that while we are 1,000 miles away, things that are going on in the world are still affecting us," student Juwaria Jama said. Emerson students also want campus leaders to condemn Columbia University's handling of the encampment and protests on the New York school's campus."Emerson officials are on site and are working with the Boston Police Department to closely monitor the situation, ensure safe passage through the alley, maintain campus operations, and support all members of the Emerson community," an Emerson spokesperson said.Emerson College said the students involved are from the non-affiliated student organization Students for Justice in Palestine.In a message to the school community, Emerson College president Jay Bernhardt said the area where the protest is happening, Boylston Place Alley, is not solely owned by Emerson and has a public right-of-way requirement to access non-Emerson buildings, including the State Transportation Center."The college strongly supports the right to express one’s beliefs through protest. This right comes with the responsibility of doing so without bigotry or hatred in any form," Bernhardt said in the message. "We encourage thoughtful dialogue and meaningful expression but will not tolerate actions threatening safety, operations, or educational access."Emerson students said it is part of a national movement on many other college campuses, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Tufts University. Video from Sky5 showed a small encampment of tents on the Tufts campus Monday.An encampment of more than a dozen tents had been set up on Kresge Lawn on the MIT campus by Sunday night. "MIT officials are aware of the tents and are determining next steps with a focus on ensuring campus is physically safe and fully functioning. MIT Police were on scene throughout the night and will continue to be present," MIT said in a statement. Harvard University, meanwhile, restricted access to Harvard Yard on Friday, closing it to non-Harvard-ID holders, according to The Harvard Crimson. The Crimson also reported that a sign posted to the Harvard Yard entrance gates warned that structures such as tents and tables were not permitted without prior permission.Rabbi Marc Baker, president and chief executive officer of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, said universities should enforce their own rules on protests."We've seen language that has crossed clearly over into antisemitism and it's been tolerated for months under the guise of free speech and the right to protest," Baker said.New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, an alumnus of Columbia University, said in a statement that he is no longer confident that Columbia can protect its students and staff, and that he is not comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken.