One example, from just up the Ivy-garlanded I-95, at Brown University, was announced just hours before Shafik again called in the police. Brown’s governing body agreed to vote on a proposal that would divest the school’s endowment of companies affiliated with Israel in a meeting in October. The proposal is based on a 2020 Advisory Committee on Corporation Responsibility in Investment Practices that identified and recommended divestment from “companies that facilitate the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory,” per the Brown Daily Herald.

In exchange, the university’s nonviolent student protesters agreed to vacate their encampment by 5 p.m. that afternoon.

Another plausible outcome from California: When a similar encampment went up a few days ago at the University of California, Irvine, it seemed likely that police might sweep the protesters away. Orange County sheriff’s deputies began to appear in riot gear near the protest.

But, rather than traffic in vague allegations of misconduct before hiding behind a belligerent mayor and an aggressive police force, like Shafik, the UC–Irvine administration took a much different tack. “UC Irvine respects the rights of any students to engage in free speech and expression including lawful protest,” the school said in a prepared statement. This, remember, is at a public school, where keeping public police forces away is more challenging than a private enclave like Columbia.

And in fact, Irvine’s mayor did get involved in the action. Not long after that, Mayor Farrah N. Khan issued a resounding statement declaring that she would not tolerate any violation of students’ free speech or right to assembly. “I am asking our law enforcement to stand down. I will not tolerate any violations to our students’ rights to peacefully assemble and protest.” She asked the deputies to leave, and they did.

Archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20240502114414/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/05/columbia-student-protests-nypd-shafik-escalation.html

  • @ZK686
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    -11 month ago

    No, I think protesting is good, I support protesting many things.: Housing crisis, student loans, I’m pro-choice, so I support protesting the right to abortion for women, protest all you want if it’s going to help Americans…I just think it’s ridiculous to protest something that can’t benefit them in any way. Why aren’t these kids protesting in masses all over campuses for lower housing? Better health insurance? Lower gas prices? This Israel/Palestine conflict is beyond a bunch of middle class kids holding up signs about religious conflicts in another part of the world… it’s much deeper.

    • @Riccosuave
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      1 month ago

      - Housing Crisis: Largely caused by Republican fiscal policies

      - Student Loan Crisis: Largely caused by Republican fiscal policies

      - Lack of Single Payer Healthcare: Directly caused by Republican social, fiscal, and legislative policy

      - Revocation of Abortion Rights: Directly caused by Republican social policies and weaponization of the Judicial system

      - Destabalization of the Middle East: Directly caused by Republican (Neo-Conservative) foreign policy

      Every fucking issue you just posted about was caused by the party YOU CLAIM TO SUPPORT. I really don’t understand how it is possible for someone to be this fucking ignorant. I really feel bad for you homie.

      You are working so far against your own interest you don’t even know it. Conservatism is about preserving power, control, and resources for those who already have them, and that ain’t you. Grow the fuck up, and understand what world you are living in.

      • @ZK686
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        -21 month ago

        I’m registered independent, but I tend to vote more Republican because the Democrats have gone crazy. I live in an area of California where homelessness, crime, and drugs are rampant. Literally, in my line of work, we see theft, drugs, and crime every day, with little to no repercussions…it’s the same people doing the same shit. And what do liberals and Democrats say every single FUCKING time? “It’s not their fault!”. Nothing gets done. As soon as someone is arrested, they’re let out and right back at it. It’s getting tiresome. I’m so burnt out, I work hard, 2 jobs, and these people break the law every day, and no one seems to care. Even the police have told me their hands are tied because in most cases, the DA will not do anything for “petty” stuff. Well, it’s not petty to me, and many like me who work hard and just want to live in a safer environment. I, like many others in my area, blame our liberal/Democrat political leaders. I know the Republican Party is field with horrible shit, I get that, but at this point, I just want a normal life without worrying about a homeless drug addict trying to stab me. So, the only thing I can do is to stop voting for the people that are allowing this kind of stuff, which are MOSTLY Democrats.

    • Cethin
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      11 month ago

      “You should only protest for things that directly benefit yourself.”

      You have to love conservative ideology. I love how open you are about it.

      • @ZK686
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        -11 month ago

        Do you REALLY think Israel leaders are saying “stop everything, there’s some kid at Colombia University protesting!” It’s ridiculous…choose your battles. Boycott, protest, and scream about things that are not fair for YOU and how you want change in YOUR country… not for other people in other countries that your protesting will have ZERO effect on.

        • Cethin
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          21 month ago

          Yeah…, these protests aren’t trying to stop Israel directly. They’re trying to effect US policy. Israel would care about the US giving them less money or less support. They would be bombed to hell without the US. They’re trying to effect our country, which effects other countries.

          • @ZK686
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            -21 month ago

            Again, do they REALLY think this will help US policy? I mean, this country is doing shit behind the scenes to protect itself…the US is constantly under threat because so many other countries hate us… let’s not be naive.