Springtime is here, and so is another pro-Palestinian encampment at a local college.
Per The Phoenix, Swarthmore College’s independent student newspaper, “Swarthmore’s Students for Justice in Palestine” chapter and its supporters “erected an encampment on Trotter Lawn dubbed the ‘Hossam Shabat Liberated Zone,’ after a university student and journalist from Gaza killed in an airstrike.”
Much like last spring, protesters called for the school to divest “from all companies that profit from the Zionist entity’s occupation of historic Palestine,” according to The Phoenix. Unlike last year, they also demanded that Swarthmore cut ties with specific companies, including Cisco, the internet service provider.
The encampment began on April 30 and continued overnight despite an email from Vice President of Student Affairs Stephanie Ives informing protesters that their occupation of Trotter Lawn violated the school’s Code of Conduct.
“Encampments on and occupation of any College facilities, spaces or grounds is prohibited,” the letter stated, according to The Phoenix.
Ahead of the 2024-25 school year, Swarthmore altered its code to prohibit encampments on college facilities, spaces or grounds and to allow the school to issue interim suspensions to protesters.
Ives had her email printed and distributed to protesters around 2:15 p.m. on April 30. It warned students that they faced possible interim suspension if they didn’t leave the lawn by 4 p.m. An interim suspension “includes the loss of academic privileges and the loss of access to all campus services,” per The Phoenix.
The vice president of student affairs had another email printed and distributed around 5 p.m.
“We have heard your demands and do not intend to meet them,” it stated, per The Phoenix.
The letter further explained that the college’s goals are to bring the encampment to a peaceful conclusion while issuing interim suspensions to those who refuse to comply.
These students must all be expelled. It is the only way to handle this. And they must face criminal charges.
I agree they need to be dealt with but they do have a right to protest. And as someone who has always supported Israel they have gone to far. I can’t suooort the continued killing of children and civilians. If you have no compassion for the people starving in Gaza than you need to evaluate your beliefs and empathy