University of Chicago students start encampment to protest Israel’s war on Gaza
CHICAGO — Students at the University of Chicago are now joining many other movements at colleges around the country and protesting the war in the Middle East.
Students at the university have set up a camp in the main quad of the campus to stand in solidarity with what’s happening in Gaza.
Northwestern reaches agreement with pro-Palestinian demonstrators to end tent encampment on campus
Anuh, with Students for Justice in Palestine, said there are some demands here for those running the school.
“The university is very deeply invested in weapons manufacturers giving weapons to Israel, like Boeing,” Anuj said.”We will stay here until the university divests every single dollar.”
The tents are there for the foreseeable future with the dean of the students releasing a message Monday afternoon saying it’s a situation being monitored closely.
You can read the full statement below.
“We believe its within the university’s power and mission as a place which wishes to promote free speech and expression and learning that will better the world,” Theodore Johnson, the president of Students Disability Justice, said.
Johnson, who is amongst those taking part, talked about a friend who has suffered incredible loss.
“One of my close friends has lost dozens of family members in Gaza,” Johnson said. “Her remaining family members are living in a state of precarity.”
His hope, like others protesting, is to help shine a light on the lives caught up in chaos.
“We believe that by doing this we are pushing our campus and the world at large towards a more just and peaceful world,” Johnson said.
Blair Penn, the President of UChicago Kehillah also issued a statement regarding the protest:
“We recognize the right to free speech and expression as an integral part of our education here at the University of Chicago. However, threats and incitements of violence from UChicago United for Palestine toward the Jewish and Israeli community will not be tolerated.
The encampment contains a smattering of calls for violence against Jews – some of the most common chants and posters to be found are to “globalize the intifada” and “From the River to the Sea” which been classified by the US House of Representatives as an antisemitic call for genocide and the destruction of the Jewish state. The encampment endorses violent extremism by hosting hosted Bill Ayers, the co-founder of Weather Underground, an FBI-designated domestic terrorist organization that implemented a series of bombings during the 1970s and plotted to overthrow the American government. In just day one of “encamping” the protesters managed to harass beloved campus Chabad Rabbi, and tear down Israeli flags and posters calling for the release of the hostages that were approved as an installation by the university. We condemn the antisemitic chants, disruptive behavior, and intimidation tactics used by the UChicago United for Palestine, Student Justice for Palestine (SJP), and their affiliates. The Jewish community has put up posters calling for the release of the hostages and Israeli flags, which were ripped down within hours by SJP protesters. Each time they have ripped down university approved Israeli flags and posters, we will put them back up. We will not be intimidated and silenced. No amount of hate can break the strong Jewish and Israeli pride on campus.”
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