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Post by Webster on Apr 29, 2024 17:49:20 GMT -5
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Post by Webster on Apr 29, 2024 17:53:09 GMT -5
(CNN) Columbia University student flies large Israeli flag above pro-Palestinian protesters on campusA Columbia University student said he flew a large Israeli flag above pro-Palestinian protests on campus Monday to show that Jewish students will not be intimidated by those marching on campus today. -- “I don’t stand for discrimination and harassment against Jewish students,” said David Lederer, who is studying financial engineering, adding that Jewish students can be on campus, too. “They chant we don’t want no Zionists here, well I’m here,” the 22-year-old told CNN.Lederer, who flew the flag about two hours after the 2 p.m. ET deadline set by the administration to clear the encampment, previously told CNN in an interview that he and his brother were harassed and assaulted on campus by pro-Palestinian protestors. Pro-Palestinian protesters voted to defy the campus order to vacate and stay in the encampment.
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Post by Webster on Apr 29, 2024 18:07:44 GMT -5
(CNN) Columbia University says it's begun suspending students who refused to vacate encampmentColumbia University has begun suspending student protesters who refused to vacate the on-campus encampment by the 2 p.m. ET deadline set by the administration. These students will not be eligible to complete the semester or graduate and won't be allowed in university housing and academic buildings, the New York-based university said. "Once disciplinary action is initiated, adjudication is handled by several different units within the university based on the nature of the offense," Vice President of Public Affairs Ben Chang said during a briefing Monday evening. The two bodies overseeing this disciplinary process are the Office of University Life and the university's senate, a policy-making group that represents students and faculty. "Decisions made by the Office of University Life can be appealed to the dean of the student's school," said Chang. "Decisions made by the senate can be appealed to a panel of deans and, ultimately, the university's president." Chang added that the university asked student protesters to remove the encampment, in part, to make sure that the university's commencement ceremony for its 15,000 graduates can continue as planned. The students at Columbia, the epicenter of the weeklong pro-Palestinian protests, had earlier voted to defy the order and stay.
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Post by Webster on Apr 29, 2024 18:08:33 GMT -5
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Post by Webster on Apr 29, 2024 18:12:00 GMT -5
(CNN) Cornell says it's suspending students after they refused offer to move encampment to an alternate locationCornell University is suspending students after an encampment on campus declined to move to an alternate location, President Martha E. Pollack said in a message Monday. -- "Last Thursday, a group of individuals formed an encampment on the Arts Quad," Pollack said. "A student group had previously requested permission for an art installation there, consistent with our policies; however, they were dishonest in their request, stating that there would not be tents and that the art installation would be removed by 8 p.m. on Thursday."Cornell University leaders then offered an alternative location for the encampment, according to Pollack. "With an approved permit in hand, the protesters could have remained in the alternative location, per our policies, thereby avoiding disciplinary sanctions," Pollack's message said. -- "The individuals requested and received multiple opportunities, over a five-hour span, to consider their options, but ultimately decided not to move. They were then reminded several additional times that afternoon and evening that if the tents were not taken down, they would be subject to disciplinary action for violating the university’s time, place, and manner rules. With full knowledge of the sanctions to come, they again refused to comply, and we moved forward with a first set of immediate temporary suspensions," Pollack continued.Suspensions followed throughout the weekend as university leaders tried again to give the encampment, an "opportunity to move to the alternate location." "Since last Thursday, we have tried to engage thoughtfully with the participants, and will try to continue to do so. But we need to soon get to a resolution that respects our policies, promotes the public health and safety of the community, and preserves the rights of all to do their work," Pollack said.
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Post by Webster on Apr 30, 2024 14:12:45 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Mike Johnson to announce 'crackdown' on antisemitism at universities as protests intensifyAs campus protests against Israel’s invasion of Gaza escalate nationwide – including at Columbia University, where demonstrators took over a building overnight – the GOP is pressing forward with allegations that the rallies are motivated by anti-Jewish bias. While the evidence for that is disputed, the Republican speaker of the House Mike Johnson today plans to announce “a House-wide crackdown on the virus of antisemitism spreading throughout college campuses”. Johnson paid a visit to Columbia last week, where he alleged Hamas “backed” the student protests, a remark that was criticized as baseless. He has also threatened to use Congress’s powers to revoke visas from foreign students involved in the demonstrations, and cut funding to universities that do not protect Jewish students. Johnson will hold a press conference at 2.15pm ET to elaborate on just what his proposed crackdown entails, while the Republican-controlled House is also considering legislation to codify into federal law a definition of antisemitism that has been criticized for equating criticism of Israel with prejudice against Jews. Of course, whatever the House passes must be approved by the Democratic-led Senate, and there’s no guarantee they’ll go along with the speaker’s plans. Expect to hear more from Congress about the protests as the day unfolds.
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Post by Webster on Apr 30, 2024 14:17:30 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Johnson says Columbia protests 'utter disgrace', again calls for university president's resignationRepublican House speaker Mike Johnson continues to direct his ire at the students and leadership of Columbia University, accusing them of antisemitism for their protests against Israel’s invasion of Gaza: The protesters at Columbia say they’re outraged by Israel’s invasion of Gaza, and are sparring with university administrators, including president Minouche Shafik. Columbia’s leaders yesterday began suspending students who remained at a protest encampment after an afternoon deadline to disperse, and hours later, dozens of protesters took over a university building on Columbia’s Manhattan campus.
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Post by Webster on Apr 30, 2024 14:19:33 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Mike Johnson has previously threatened to use Congress’s powers to revoke visas for foreign student protesters, and cut funding to universities that fail to protect Jewish students. But doing any of that may require passing new legislation, which the Senate’s Democratic majority could reject. Johnson is no doubt aware of that dynamic, and yesterday, his office signaled that the “crackdown on antisemitism” Johnson envisions will rely on House committees and their powers of investigation. “House Republicans, with leadership from committees of jurisdiction, will expand a wide-ranging investigation focused on holding accountable college and university administrators who fail at their core responsibility: keeping their students safe,” Johnson’s office said in a statement that announced his press conference set for 2.15pm today. If Johnson tasks House committees with investigating antisemitism at colleges, expect lots of subpoenas and testimony by university officials – perhaps not unlike the December hearing that lead to the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania resigning.
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Post by Webster on Apr 30, 2024 14:25:28 GMT -5
(The Guardian) White House spokesman condemns Columbia building takeover, protesters' use of 'intifada'Deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates has condemned protesters’ usage of the word “intifada” and their takeover of a building on Columbia University’s campus, saying the action was “not peaceful”: President Biden has stood against repugnant, Antisemitic smears and violent rhetoric his entire life. He condemns the use of the term ‘intifada,’ as he has the other tragic and dangerous hate speech displayed in recent days. President Biden respects the right to free expression, but protests must be peaceful and lawful. Forcibly taking over buildings is not peaceful – it is wrong. And hate speech and hate symbols have no place in America.Protesters unfurled a banner reading “intifada” after breaching Hamilton Hall on Columbia’s campus early this morning – a term that denotes Palestinian uprisings against Israel.
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Post by Webster on Apr 30, 2024 14:35:58 GMT -5
(The Guardian) A pro-Palestine protester disrupted a US armed forces committee hearing where defence secretary Lloyd Austin was providing testimony. As seen in video of the incident, Austin was speaking when a protester carrying a “let Gaza live” sign, stood up and said: “How can you talk about US leadership when you’re supporting genocide in Gaza?” The protester added: “It is illegal. It is immoral. It is disgusting. The whole world is watching what we are doing in Gaza right now … Secretary general, you are supporting a genocide.” The protester was removed by security.
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Post by Webster on Apr 30, 2024 14:59:37 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Johnson to detail House Republican "crackdown on antisemitism" at universitiesSpeaker Mike Johnson and other top House Republicans are expected to in a few minutes announce their plans for a “crackdown on antisemitism” at universities nationwide, amid pro-Israel protests that have prompted school administrators to call in the police and suspend students. Johnson has been aggressive in condemning these disruptions. He visited Columbia University last week – the site of one of the most intense protests – and alleged that Hamas “backed” the demonstrations, a remark that was criticized as baseless.
Johnson calls Columbia protesters 'terrorist sympathizers', vows investigations Mike Johnson kept up his hardline rhetoric against anti-Israel protesters on college campuses, singling out demonstrators at Columbia University as “terrorist sympathizers” and vowing the House will investigate the protests nationwide. Referring to the New York City-based university’s administrators, Johnson said, “What do they need to see before they stand up to these terrorist sympathizers? And that is exactly what they are.” He blamed the Columbia demonstrators for inspiring similar protests nationwide: What’s worse, though, is that Columbia’s choice to ignore the safety of their Jewish students and appease antisemites has inspired even more hateful protests to pop up across the country.Without getting into specifics, he announced that House committees would open investigations into the protests: We will not allow antisemitism to thrive on campus, and we will hold these universities accountable for their failure to protect Jewish students on campus. And that’s why today, we’re here to announce a House-wide effort to crack down on antisemitism on college campuses. Nearly every committee here has a role to play in these efforts to stop the madness that has ensued.
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Post by Webster on Apr 30, 2024 15:02:20 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Virginia Foxx, chair of the House education committee, said she will invite officials from the University of California, Los Angeles, University of Michigan and Yale University to appear for testimony on 23 May. “As Republican leaders, we have a clear message for mealy mouthed spineless college leaders. Congress will not tolerate your dereliction of duty to your Jewish students. American universities are officially put on notice that we have come to take our universities back,” said Foxx, who represents North Carolina. Officials from the three colleges will testify “on their handling of the these most recent outrages”, Foxx said, referring to the student protests.
As chair of the House energy and commerce committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers oversees federal research grants that universities receive, and said she would scrutinize universities hit by anti-Israel protests. “We will be increasing our oversight of institutions that have received public funding and cracking down on those who are in violation of the Civil Rights Act,” McMorris Rodgers said. The Washington congresswoman continued: Imagine being a Jewish American, knowing that part of your hard-earned paycheck is going to fund antisemitic professors’ research while they threaten students and actively indoctrinate and radicalize the next generation.
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Post by Webster on Apr 30, 2024 15:03:45 GMT -5
(The Guardiabn) Returning to the podium, speaker Mike Johnson said that after visiting Columbia University last week, he challenged Joe Biden to do the same. “After we left the campus, I made a call to senior policy advisors in the White House. The president was on the road, as I was, and we did not connect immediately, but I’ve encouraged him to go and see it for himself,” said Johnson, who is by no means an ally of Biden’s, though they occasionally find common ground.
Mike Johnson and his Republican colleagues repeatedly criticized Columbia University’s administrators for not cracking down on student protesters. But plenty of other campuses are calling in the police, including one on California’s far northern coast. The Guardian’s Dani Anguiano reports what happened: Police cracked down on a pro-Palestine demonstration at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, early on Tuesday morning, clearing two buildings that protesters had occupied since last week, arresting dozens of people and detaining at least one journalist.
The public university on California’s far north coast said in a statement early Tuesday that an operation by law enforcement, which included police from across the state, had “restored order” to the campus. “This is a difficult day, it breaks my heart to see it, and truly nobody wanted to see things come to this,” Tom Jackson Jr, the Cal Poly Humboldt president, said in a statement.
Like other universities across the country, Cal Poly Humboldt was the site of major protests over the war in Gaza and the mounting civilian death toll. Students said they planned to hold a sit-in, but barricaded themselves in a university building using furniture, tents, chains and zip-ties as police arrived on campus.
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Post by Webster on Apr 30, 2024 15:04:48 GMT -5
(The Guardian) One defining feature of the campus protests against Israel and its invasion of Gaza has been the prevalence of masks and other face coverings among protesters. The Guardian’s Nick Robins-Early reports that there is a reason for that: As demonstrations over the war in Gaza have surged on campuses, around cities and in offices across the US in recent weeks, a visible tension has emerged between the desire for public protest and a fear of professional reprisals.
On the Columbia University campus, where the latest spike in protests began on 17 April, demonstrators have worn masks and used blankets to block counter-protesters from filming students. Protesters at a tent encampment at the University of Michigan handed out masks upon entry, and students there refused to give reporters their full names in case the school took punitive action against them. At Harvard, the Palestine Solidarity Committee told the Guardian they had suspended doing press interviews out of regard for student safety.
Concerns over retaliation and harassment have permeated the protests, as an intense and organized effort to bring down personal and professional repercussions on demonstrators has played out online. Counter-protesters and pro-Israel activist groups have attempted to post demonstrators’ faces and personal information to intimidate them, an act known as doxing, and demanded that pro-Palestinian protesters remove their masks at rallies. The professional threat is not theoretical: employers have terminated workers over their comments about the Israel-Gaza war, and CEOs have demanded universities name protesters so as to blacklist them.
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Post by Webster on Apr 30, 2024 21:29:42 GMT -5
(CNN) 16 people arrested after they took over and vandalized University of New Mexico building, official saysPolice arrested 16 people after taking over and vandalizing the University of New Mexico Student Union Building early Tuesday morning, according to university officials. Palestinian supporters had been protesting peacefully at the UNM Duck Pond since last week, according to UNM spokesperson Steve Carr in an email to CNN. More than two dozen protestors attempted to camp inside and occupy the Student Union Building (SUB) around 6:30 p.m. local time Monday night, according to Carr. -- “They remained unlawfully in the building past closing time and proceeded to vandalize the building, damaging furniture, walls, and doors, writing graffiti with markers, paint, and chalk, on the walls, on banisters, in bathrooms, and more,” he said in the email.According to Carr, some protesters barricaded doors with chairs and tables. “Beyond this property damage in the SUB, graffiti was spray-painted across campus. Students who were trying to study in the SUB were also verbally harassed,” he said. New Mexico State Police and UNM police began removing tents and escorting protestors out of the building around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, Carr said. CNN reached out to New Mexico State Police but has not heard back. In a university statement released Tuesday, officials said the “takeover” of the student union building is “not acceptable,” “What began as protest ended in criminal acts,” the statement said. “Those who occupied the building were not peacefully protesting, they were engaged in criminal activity by entering, remaining in, and damaging the SUB after its closing hours."
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