One example, from just up the Ivy-garlanded I-95, at Brown University, was announced just hours before Shafik again called in the police. Brownā€™s governing body agreed to vote on a proposal that would divest the schoolā€™s endowment of companies affiliated with Israel in a meeting in October. The proposal is based on a 2020 Advisory Committee on Corporation Responsibility in Investment Practices that identified and recommended divestment from ā€œcompanies that facilitate the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory,ā€ per the Brown Daily Herald.

In exchange, the universityā€™s nonviolent student protesters agreed to vacate their encampment by 5 p.m. that afternoon.

ā€¦

Another plausible outcome from California: When a similar encampment went up a few days ago at the University of California, Irvine, it seemed likely that police might sweep the protesters away. Orange County sheriffā€™s deputies began to appear in riot gear near the protest.

But, rather than traffic in vague allegations of misconduct before hiding behind a belligerent mayor and an aggressive police force, like Shafik, the UCā€“Irvine administration took a much different tack. ā€œUC Irvine respects the rights of any students to engage in free speech and expression including lawful protest,ā€ the school said in a prepared statement. This, remember, is at a public school, where keeping public police forces away is more challenging than a private enclave like Columbia.

And in fact, Irvineā€™s mayor did get involved in the action. Not long after that, Mayor Farrah N. Khan issued a resounding statement declaring that she would not tolerate any violation of studentsā€™ free speech or right to assembly. ā€œI am asking our law enforcement to stand down. I will not tolerate any violations to our studentsā€™ rights to peacefully assemble and protest.ā€ She asked the deputies to leave, and they did.

Archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20240502114414/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/05/columbia-student-protests-nypd-shafik-escalation.html

  • ZK686@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    5
    Ā·
    6 months ago

    Do you REALLY think Israel leaders are saying ā€œstop everything, thereā€™s some kid at Colombia University protesting!ā€ Itā€™s ridiculousā€¦choose your battles. Boycott, protest, and scream about things that are not fair for YOU and how you want change in YOUR countryā€¦ not for other people in other countries that your protesting will have ZERO effect on.

    • Cethin@lemmy.zip
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      Ā·
      6 months ago

      Yeahā€¦, these protests arenā€™t trying to stop Israel directly. Theyā€™re trying to effect US policy. Israel would care about the US giving them less money or less support. They would be bombed to hell without the US. Theyā€™re trying to effect our country, which effects other countries.

      • ZK686@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        6
        Ā·
        6 months ago

        Again, do they REALLY think this will help US policy? I mean, this country is doing shit behind the scenes to protect itselfā€¦the US is constantly under threat because so many other countries hate usā€¦ letā€™s not be naive.