One example, from just up the Ivy-garlanded I-95, at Brown University, was announced just hours before Shafik again called in the police. Brown’s governing body agreed to vote on a proposal that would divest the school’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 “companies that facilitate the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory,” per the Brown Daily Herald.

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

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 sheriff’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 UC–Irvine administration took a much different tack. “UC Irvine respects the rights of any students to engage in free speech and expression including lawful protest,” 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, Irvine’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 students’ free speech or right to assembly. “I am asking our law enforcement to stand down. I will not tolerate any violations to our students’ rights to peacefully assemble and protest.” 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
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    7 months ago

    How can you say " brutalizing" with a straight face? These kids are fucking protesting something that has NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM. They WILL NOT change the issue with Israel and Palestine. It’s been an on-going religious war for years. Do they really think Israel leaders are like “hey, some kid at Columbia wants us to stop…pull back!” I mean, it’s ridiculous. They are inconveniencing EVERYONE else for a cause that will have no effect on their lives. Campuses have the right to forcefully remove these people. They are giving them more than enough time and warnings to leave…

    • FractalsInfinite@sh.itjust.works
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      7 months ago

      But it does matter. The US backs Isreals Genocide and is the one supporting there iron dome systems. Affecting public sentiment via protesting would make the US politicians less willing to send money to Isreal. That would influence the outcome.

      • ZK686@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        I hope you really don’t believe this. The US will always support Israel, it’s literally a matter of national security. There are bigger things at risk by not supporting Israel. Without US support, Israel would literally fall into “survival mode.” It would probably wipe out all of Gaza and get rid of the Palestinians just to be on the safe side. If left unprotected, the entire Middle East would attack Israel, possibly created a 3rd World War. If the US wasn’t their main support system, they’d turn to someone else, like China or Russia, who would then be their primary source for protection. What the protestors don’t understand, is that the US doesn’t give foreign aid out of the goodness of our hearts. If it’s not good for America we don’t do it. Every penny comes with strings attached. If we stop supporting Israel we will no longer have a seat at the table and leverage, among other benefits for the US. This is much more than just the Israel/Palestine conflict.

        • eskimofry@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          How does Israel give the U.S “a seat at the table”? Isn’t the U.S a UNSC member with Veto powers? Does the U.S really need to support Israel for everything?

        • Killing_Spark@feddit.de
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          7 months ago

          How was that not your first comment instead of that horrible first comment? This is a very nuanced view on the topic i didn’t expect from someone that said “the US has nothing to do with the war in Gaza”.

          I’m not a USA citizen so I won’t comment on the rest.

    • m13@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      A religious war? How can anyone still be this ignorant. As others have mentioned, Reddit is <<—- that way

      • ZK686@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        No, I think protesting is good, I support protesting many things.: Housing crisis, student loans, I’m pro-choice, so I support protesting the right to abortion for women, protest all you want if it’s going to help Americans…I just think it’s ridiculous to protest something that can’t benefit them in any way. Why aren’t these kids protesting in masses all over campuses for lower housing? Better health insurance? Lower gas prices? This Israel/Palestine conflict is beyond a bunch of middle class kids holding up signs about religious conflicts in another part of the world… it’s much deeper.

        • Riccosuave@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          - Housing Crisis: Largely caused by Republican fiscal policies

          - Student Loan Crisis: Largely caused by Republican fiscal policies

          - Lack of Single Payer Healthcare: Directly caused by Republican social, fiscal, and legislative policy

          - Revocation of Abortion Rights: Directly caused by Republican social policies and weaponization of the Judicial system

          - Destabalization of the Middle East: Directly caused by Republican (Neo-Conservative) foreign policy

          Every fucking issue you just posted about was caused by the party YOU CLAIM TO SUPPORT. I really don’t understand how it is possible for someone to be this fucking ignorant. I really feel bad for you homie.

          You are working so far against your own interest you don’t even know it. Conservatism is about preserving power, control, and resources for those who already have them, and that ain’t you. Grow the fuck up, and understand what world you are living in.

          • ZK686@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            I’m registered independent, but I tend to vote more Republican because the Democrats have gone crazy. I live in an area of California where homelessness, crime, and drugs are rampant. Literally, in my line of work, we see theft, drugs, and crime every day, with little to no repercussions…it’s the same people doing the same shit. And what do liberals and Democrats say every single FUCKING time? “It’s not their fault!”. Nothing gets done. As soon as someone is arrested, they’re let out and right back at it. It’s getting tiresome. I’m so burnt out, I work hard, 2 jobs, and these people break the law every day, and no one seems to care. Even the police have told me their hands are tied because in most cases, the DA will not do anything for “petty” stuff. Well, it’s not petty to me, and many like me who work hard and just want to live in a safer environment. I, like many others in my area, blame our liberal/Democrat political leaders. I know the Republican Party is field with horrible shit, I get that, but at this point, I just want a normal life without worrying about a homeless drug addict trying to stab me. So, the only thing I can do is to stop voting for the people that are allowing this kind of stuff, which are MOSTLY Democrats.

        • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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          7 months ago

          “You should only protest for things that directly benefit yourself.”

          You have to love conservative ideology. I love how open you are about it.

          • ZK686@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            Do you REALLY think Israel leaders are saying “stop everything, there’s some kid at Colombia University protesting!” It’s ridiculous…choose your battles. Boycott, protest, and scream about things that are not fair for YOU and how you want change in YOUR country… not for other people in other countries that your protesting will have ZERO effect on.

            • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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              7 months ago

              Yeah…, these protests aren’t trying to stop Israel directly. They’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. They’re trying to effect our country, which effects other countries.

              • ZK686@lemmy.world
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                7 months ago

                Again, do they REALLY think this will help US policy? I mean, this country is doing shit behind the scenes to protect itself…the US is constantly under threat because so many other countries hate us… let’s not be naive.