UNC Asheville students stage 'soft encampment' seeking university transparency over Gaza
ASHEVILLE — A student coalition is staging a "soft encampment" on UNC Asheville's campus over the war in Gaza, joining hundreds of students nationwide who are demanding universities divest, or cut financial ties with Israel and Israeli companies.
About 30 students sat in a circle on chairs May 3, or cross-legged on the lawn of "the Quad" in front of the Ramsey Library. Scrawled in chalk on the paved sidewalk nearby are names and ages of Palestinian children killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict. A drawing of university mascot Rocky the Bulldog with blood on its paws is seen in front of the library.
Alex Severa, a senior at UNCA, said the group is asking for transparency from the university, a divestment on any funds that may be going directly or indirectly to Israel, to cut ties with Israeli universities, and to establish support for Gaza universities to restart at the end of the conflict.
More: After monthslong calls for Israel-Hamas ceasefire resolution, Asheville mayor responds
The "soft encampment" began May 2, with a few dozen students showing up in support. They plan to be there until their demands are met, or until the end of the term. For now, they don't intend to stay overnight.
“We’re really just building solidarity and community,” Ash Pilo, a senior at UNCA, told the Citizen Times. “We would like to see UNC Asheville divest from Israel, but our main goal is to build community among students, faculty and community members who are willing to stand up against genocide.”
In the past couple of weeks, hundreds of students have set up encampments from California to Massachusetts, with police across the country arresting students and protesters at Columbia University, Indiana University and University of Texas at Austin, to name a few.
Sitting on the quiet lawn outside Ramsey Library, the UNCA students expressed solidarity with those arrested during encampments over Israel’s war in Gaza, especially those who are a part of the UNC system.
On April 30, 36 people were arrested during a “Gaza solidarity encampment” on UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus, as reported by the News & Observer.
While the Asheville students sat discussing the war in Gaza and concerns about what they feel is the university's lack of transparency, two campus police officers walked around the quad, passing glances at the group. Though interactions with police have been minimal, the students did express a feeling of being surveilled.
More: Hundreds march downtown Asheville streets demanding a Gaza ceasefire: 'Hands off Rafah'
This protest is part of an on-going conversation on campus. Most recently, student protestors held signs outside the university's faculty senate meeting on May 2. Pilo said some members of the faculty senate have offered support, and others seemed sympathetic to their protests.
Severa said a group of students were investigated for vandalism by campus police after they placed water-soluble flyers and posters around campus a few months ago. As one of those students, Severa was given over a $100 fine or 11 hours of community service. He was also put on probation and given an administrative hearing by the university, he said.
"I was verbally threatened that they would take away our ability to post anything on campus," Severa said. "I was personally told in a closed meeting orally that if I were to get in trouble again, they would rescind my degree."
The Citizen Times reached out to the university regarding the student fines and if it plans to respond to the group's demands. Though questions were received, the university could not provide answers before deadline.
This story will be updated.
Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: UNC Asheville students stage 'soft encampment,' calling on university
