Circulating word is that #LAPD plans to disperse #UCLA Palestinian solidarity encampment at 6. A number of groups including faculty and campus unions are planning on rallying in defense. Meanwhile an administrator has entered the camp to negotiate
BREAKING: super proud and excited to share that our formidable students were not only amongst the first to start a #Palestine#Gaza occupation back in February - the occupation has now been resolved in the following agreement! There will be Palestine scholarships, a review of investments, and more!
Interesting to see how students are fighting with the police because they like to support the Hamas terrorists and the Palestinians who support Hamas
🤷🏻♀️ Are those students so much brainwashed by the Hamas, Russian and Chinese propaganda that they do not realize that they are now fighting for the same people who were always organizing protests in Gaza were they shouted “Dead to America and the Western world”🤦🏻♀️
For conservatives like Charles Sykes, parallels between 1968 student protests and ones today loom ominously large. What remains constant generation to generation is the fixation of the conservative mind on rebellion, protest, as a threat — chaos is the word that often springs to conservative lips. Let idealistic young people get out of hand, let them raise their voices and hark what discord follows: mere anarchy is loosed on the land.
met my bestie when we were transfer undergrad students at #NYU trying to navigate a new city and new culture as twenty-something n00bs.
they called to discuss the #StudentProtests. they don't use social media and still depend on legacy media.
they said you would not know these protests were organized with the blessing of Jewish Voices for Peace and in solidarity with Jewish student organizations. she doesn't recall seeing anything about Seders on campus protests. 🧵
"Nearly 100% of Campus Gaza Protests Have Been Peaceful"
Of 553 US campus protests, 97% remained non-violent.
Of the 3%, half were from clashes with police sent in to clear peaceful protests.
"If someone is speaking more about 'violent encampments' than they are about violent genocide of the Palestinians, they have a problem reflective of deep and dangerous biases."
US House passes bill (320 to 91) that expands definition of anti-Semitism
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) says its definition encompasses the “targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity”.
"Rights groups warn that the definition could further chill freedom of speech as protests continue on college campuses."
Norman Finkelstein at Columbia University's Gaza solidarity encampment
"The most powerful weapon you have is the weapon of truth & justice. You should never create a situation where you can be silenced on the grounds of feelings & emotions."
Columbia President Shafik’s remarks were all about hurt feelings. "That whole language has completely corrupted the notion of free speech & academic freedom."
“Hundreds of people have been arrested in California, Massachusetts, Texas and other states during the tense [student] protests, following several rounds of arrests in New York in recent days.”
As Timothy Burke notes, for the most part, those pressuring university administrators to crack down on student protesters "are going wholly undiscussed in the national news coverage." The media mantra is that the protests are causing "chaos." This ignores that the chaos is being created by administrators dragging in police to squelch peaceful protests.
US House passes bill (320 to 91) that expands definition of anti-Semitism
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) says its definition encompasses the “targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity”.
"Rights groups warn that the definition could further chill freedom of speech as protests continue on college campuses."
Police raided UMich Gaza Camp before UMich president is due to appear before Congress - alongside the presidents of UCLA & Yale.
The president claimed the peaceful action had become a threat to public safety, & "police raided the encampment, arresting & hospitalizing students after pepper-spraying & pushing them to the ground".
"The university has refused to discuss divestment with protesters."
"University administrators from Texas to California moved to clear protesters and prevent encampments from taking hold on their own campuses as they have at Columbia University, deploying police in tense new confrontations that already have led to dozens of arrests.
At the same time, new protests continued erupting in places like Pittsburgh and San Antonio."
Great news: UK university divests from Israel-linked arms companies following pressure
“The University of York has been forced to divest from weapons and arms manufacturers tied to Israel after a series of protests from a student-led coalition.”
~100 educators in Berlin have stated their support of protesting students: "We stand with our students & defend their right to peaceful protest.”
Germany’s Education Minister called the statement "staggering. Instead of taking a clear stand against hatred of Israel & Jews, university occupiers are being turned into the victims."
Police said 79 protestors were arrested & 80 criminal investigations initiated.
#UCLA's Palestine solidarity encampment just posted an update on their telegram - UCLA has declared it unlawful, and administration has reached out to start negotiations. Organizers have been holding occupy-style general meetings and plan to continue that to guide negotiations