Protests by university students against Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the West Bank continue to grow. Activist camps also appeared on the campuses of Oxford and Cambridge and, yesterday, in Bologna. In the United States, Columbia University, the epicenter of the protests in the US, canceled the graduation ceremony […]
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The protest by university students continues to grow against Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Activist encampments have also appeared on campuses Oxford and Cambridge and, yesterday, in Bologna. In the United States the Columbia University, epicenter of the mobilizations in the USA, ha the graduation ceremony was cancelled scheduled for the next one May 15th replacing it with “small-scale celebrations”. The university said the decision had been made after discussions with student leaders. Security concerns were the main reason behind the decision.
In the University of Princeton, at least 17 students went on hunger strike “in solidarity with Gaza” and to have their requests accepted, primarily that of interrupting relations with Israel. For its part, the university informed the CNN that campus doctors have been monitoring the health situation of the kids since last Friday they are just drinking water. The protest is led by “Princeton Israeli Apartheid Divest” which demands that the university sever ties with any companies that “profit from or are engaged in” Israel’s “military campaign, occupation and apartheid policies”. A commitment to “a full tank” was also requested cultural and academic boycott of Israel“.
Furthermore, “a complete amnesty” is requested for all criminal and disciplinary proceedings initiated against students for previous protests on campus, which in recent days have led to at least 15 arrests. Proceedings which were contested in a letter signed by over 120 Princeton professors and other teaching staffin which the resignation of the vice president is called for Rochelle Calhounconsidered the “real threat” of the university community. The University of Vermont canceled US Ambassador Linda’s speech to the UN Thomas-Greenfield at this year’s graduation ceremony due to ongoing pro-Palestinian protests on campus. The students asked for his speech to be canceled due to the US policies supporting Israel.
In Europe, students from English universities Oxford and Cambridge they set up pro-Palestinian camps. Footage posted on social media shows camps set up on lawns outside Kings College, Cambridge, and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford. In Oxford they appeared signs tied to railings, “Solidarity camp in Gaza”, while in Cambridge students were seen tying scarves around their mouths and noses. Dozens of teachers, over one hundred in Oxford alonethey signed a message of solidarity towards students who have camped. The rectories of the two most prestigious universities in the Kingdom – and perhaps in the world – have for their part made it known that they want it “respect the freedom of students” to protest, while at the same time warning that they want to minimize the impact of the initiative on teaching activities and to reject any “intolerance”.
In Italy, toAmerican University of Rome (Aur) the “camping” – “Aur encampment” – of the students began in the campus garden where a tent was set up. The garrison was born to ask “the immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza; the end of Israeli settler occupation and apartheid in Palestine; respect and application of international law; an end to U.S. government financial and military aid in the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza; an end to US corporate investment in financial and military aid in the ongoing genocide in Gaza,” as written by the youth. There are several activities planned for this “day of solidarity”: from creative sessions where posters with “high-impact” messages will be created to moments of reflection and silence. In Bologna since Sunday, pro-Palestine students have been camping in the city university and have launched a campaign of initiatives and events in view of the great mobilization for the May 15thday of remembrance of Nakba (the forced exodus of the Palestinian population in 1948, ed).
