Vassar College students join other Israel-Hamas war protests around the state
Vassar College students joined other protests around the state over the Israel-Hamas war Tuesday morning.
Students — the exact number involved was not available — set up tents on the campus library lawn.
In an Instagram post published Tuesday morning, Vassar Students for Justice in Palestine asked the college administration to disclose what companies they invest in, and divest "from all companies which are invested in the ongoing genocide and occupation of the Palestinian people." They also asked Vassar administration to release a public statement "calling for an immediate end to Israel's siege on Gaza," and to boycott select study abroad programs.
In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, Vassar President Elizabeth Bradley said the college was communicating with the students, and the students have said they intend for the assembly to remain peaceful.
"As long as the demonstration remains peaceful and does not disrupt the learning environment, the college does not plan to remove the tents," Bradley said in her statement. "The tents are currently set up in a way that allows access to the library and other buildings. This is particularly important as we head into the study period and final exams."
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"May we be patient, compassionate and understanding of one another - knowing that our differences help make us whole," Bradley concluded.
Bradley's statement did not address whether Vassar would respond to any specific demands made by students.
The Vassar encampment was the latest in a series of protests on college campuses around the state and across the nation, highlighted by one at Columbia University that is now in its second week.
Students at Cornell's Ithaca campus protested over the weekend, despite threats of suspension and police activity.
At the University of Rochester on Tuesday, more than a dozen students gathered at an encampment protesting Israel's invasion of Gaza and calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
An encampment was also set up on Syracuse University's campus.
Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and the Poughkeepsie Journal. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Vassar College students protest in support of Palestine
