COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Pro-Palestinian groups protesting on Ohio State’s campus have been pressuring the university to ditch and boycott Israel, but will the university be able to meet their demands?

There are active anti-boycott laws in at least 27 states, including Ohio.

The Buckeye State passed ORC 9.76 (formerly SB 135) in 2022, which prohibits state institutions from divesting from interests in Israel or Israeli-controlled territories or from adopting policies requiring divestments associated with Israel.

Ohio State also says it generally invests in funds, not directly in individual companies, although the university said specific investments are considered trade secrets and will not be made public.

Twenty-one people have been arrested at various protests or encampments at OSU this week, including Dr. Sumaya Hamadmad, a research scientist at the OSU College of Medicine who specializes in ophthalmology and visual sciences.

Other states, such as New York, California and Texas, have similar anti-boycott, divestment and sanctions laws.