Pro-Palestinian Protests at UCLA Receive Faculty Support
Pro-Palestinian protestors at UCLA received unexpected support this week. Faculty members, alerted by a student call for help, volunteered to join the protest.
Faculty Activists Join Students
“Students expressed feeling unsafe,” said Graeme Blair, a political science professor, “and they wanted our assistance in improving the situation.” Dozens of faculty activists responded swiftly, pledging to join the students in shifts at their on-campus encampment.
Police Crackdown on Protests
On Thursday morning, the police cracked down on the protests where the faculty members were joining hands with students, allowing themselves to be arrested. Nationwide pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses have resulted in over 2,100 arrests. Police employed riot gear, tactical vehicles, and flash-bangs to dismantle tent encampments and occupied buildings.
Faculty Support for Protests
Some faculty members have formal ties to Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine, the counterpart of Students for Justice in Palestine, a decentralized national network of pro-Palestinian groups.
Incident at Columbia University
Meanwhile, a NYPD police officer who was involved in clearing protesters from a Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall earlier this week fired his gun inside the hall. The Manhattan district attorney’s office confirmed on Thursday that no one was hurt, and the incident is now under review.
Faculty Reactions
The pro-Palestinian protests have ignited tensions among faculty. Some criticise the activist professors, accusing them of glorifying demonstrations that have disrupted campus life. However, at Columbia University, some faculty expressed solidarity with the students, providing logistical support and forming a physical barrier to potentially delay police action.
