NIAC Joins 180+ Organizations to Call on U.S. Universities to End Crackdown on Student Protests in Solidarity with Gaza
Washington, DC – NIAC was one among over 180 organizations in a letter today calling on U.S. universities to end the crackdown on campus protests and encampments demanding an end to the war in Gaza. These students, who are exercising their right to protest peacefully amid an atmosphere of pressure, intimidation, and even physical retaliation, have organized encampments across the country to make clear that they want an end to the war, a safe environment for Palestinians on their respective campuses and their universities to divest from corporations that profit from Israel’s occupation and siege on Gaza. However, in response to their organizing and demands, several universities have chosen to deploy police – and even threaten to send for the National Guard – to disband the encampments, resulting in brutal physical exchanges as well as the reported arrest of more than 900 students. At a critical moment after nearly seven months of indiscriminate bombardment in Gaza, it is imperative that we amplify the arduous yet impactful work that university students are leading, ensure their safety, and join them in continuing to press for a permanent ceasefire. Signers of the letter include Arab American Institute, Jewish Voice for Peace, IfNotNow Movement,
