SFSU protesters break down encampment after reaching agreement
SAN FRANCISCO - Student protesters at San Francisco State University say they've reached an agreement with the school's president on the issue of Gaza and are beginning to dismantle their encampment.
Student organizers tell KTVU that the talks are ongoing with the university president, but say the concessions are an important first step.
Student organizers who've camped on the SFSU campus for two weeks say the agreement with the university's president, addresses three of the organizers' four demands.
Protesters had been calling for the university to disclose the school's investment portfolio, divest from companies that fund war or support Israel, and clarity on upcoming legislation they say would curtail their rights to protest on campus.
"The only demand that we haven't currently met is 'declare,'" said student protest spokesperson, Sprout. "Declaring it a genocide, calling it what it is, which is still very important and something we're going to continue to work on through the summer and into the fall."
In a statement, San Francisco State University President, Lynn Mahoney, said there have been times when student activism has pushed for positive institutional change, and that this is one of those times.
The president said in part, "Students for Gaza has pushed us to reflect on and commit to working with the SF State Foundation to review and draft a revision to our existing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment policy statement. We will support the addition of a human rights-based investment strategy, including divesting from direct investments in weapons manufacturers."
The school has also pledged to create a website to clearly lay out the school's investment strategies, and outline concerns about any legislation that students say would abridge their rights to protest.
Student organizers say this is only the beginning.
"So, what we're working toward now since we've gotten this really important first step on our campus is organizing with students on all the CSUs to come together, to the Board of Trustees meetings and make that change on a more systemic level," said Sprout.
Student organizers have already begun to dismantle the encampment on campus and say they are ending the day and night encampment here on campus, but will be keeping a daytime presence to keep interested parties informed.
