Gaza protests erupt across Bay Area college campuses
(KRON/BCN) — On Monday, while police confront protesters at university student actions over Israel’s war in Gaza from Texas to New York, a sprawling student encampment at UC Berkeley has remained calm. The camp is set up in the plaza in front of Sproul Hall, on the very spot where students were gassed during free speech rallies in the 1960s.
Thus far there have been no police clearing the area and no arrests at the encampment.
On Friday, there was a khutbah, a type of public preaching in the Islamic tradition. It was led by Dr. Hatem Bazian, a continuing lecturer in the Department of Ethnic Studies and a decolonial Islamic scholar. He spoke to a Muslim audience seated on the ground. He was surrounded by a human wall of supporters, which created an atmosphere of security for worshipers.
Dan Mogulof, spokesperson for UC Berkeley, said in an email Monday that the university has no updates and there will be no change in its approach, objectives, or priorities. UC Berkeley is still planning its campus-wide graduation ceremony on May 11 at the California Memorial Stadium. The speaker is Cynt Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks.
“Berkeley graduation ceremonies have been venues for all sorts of protests for many years,” said Mogulof. “This year, like every year in the past, our efforts will focus on ensuring the ceremony can be successfully held, and on supporting the right of graduating students, their friends, and families to safely enjoy and take part in an incredibly meaningful day in their lives.”
The Berkeley student camp-in was called by a coalition of groups, including the Black Student Union, the Jewish Voice for Peace at UC Berkeley and the Indigenous Graduate Student Association. In an online statement, they are demanding: “an immediate end to the Zionist colonization of Arab lands, including the genocidal siege of Gaza; full freedom and equality for Palestinians, from the river to the sea; and the right of return for Palestinian refugees to their homes and properties.”
They are also asking the University of California to boycott, divest and sanction “from all companies profiting from the colonization of Palestine.”
Stanford students erect tents in Gaza protest
Elsewhere in the Bay Area, student protesters at Stanford University put up tents at White Memorial Plaza calling for the university to divest from Israel and disclose its investments.
“We are keeping out here as long as people support and want us out here,” said student protester Yungsu Kim. “Last night, I believe we successfully passed a divestment resolution through our student body through our student government. The turnout was significantly higher than last year.”
On Monday, several students sat inside the encampment. Other students, who did not wish to appear on camera, said it has been peaceful and quiet. Although KRON4’s cameras did capture counter protesters walk inside the area and raise an American flag, stating they had a right to be there.
“The message from us is very clear,” said Kevin Figelis, a Jewish counter protester. “We live in a great country and these people are taking advantage of the freedoms afforded by this country while chanting death to America on a nightly basis, and so it’s good for them to recognize they should be grateful to the country they are protesting in.”
Despite the differences of opinion, things remained peaceful between the two groups while KRON4 was on campus.
Bay City News contributed to this report.
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