A protester reads a statement hammering Columbia University for disciplinary threats over on-campus encampment for Gaza.
A protester on Monday read a statement on behalf of organizers hammering Columbia University for threatening disciplinary action for an on-campus encampment in support of Gaza.
The university sent protesters a letter on Monday morning, warning that students would face suspension if they did not vacate the encampment by 2 p.m. and sign a form acknowledging their participation.
The statement criticizes the university's actions and violations of university rules, and it accuses Columbia of falsely identifying nonviolent protesters as dangerous.
“These repulsive scare tactics mean nothing compared to the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians. We will not move until Columbia meets our demands or they are moved by force,” said the protester.
The statement also highlighted the organizers' demands that Columbia divest from Israel, financial transparency, and amnesty for students and faculty involved in the demonstrations.
“Protesters have been entirely peaceful and the university has previously agreed that it has no grounds to call in the NYPD,” the protester said. “Columbia's threats, distributed through flyers, are reminiscent of the flyers the Israeli army launches from the sky to Gazans.”
“Today's threats come after days of fruitless negotiations in which the university refused to seriously consider our demands for divestment, financial transparency, and amnesty for students and faculty disciplines in the movement for Palestinian liberation.”
