The struggles over encampments and occupations on US campuses have ignited the already unprecedented movement for Palestinian solidarity in the United States. Gaza has been under genocidal bombardment for over six months, with well over 34,000 Palestinians killed, vast sections of the encircled enclave in ruins, over 80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people displaced, and over one million living through forced starvation — all as Genocide Joe Biden signs another $26 billion in aid for Israel.
If the spoiled ballots and “uncommitted” votes in the Democratic primaries showed how Biden’s support for Israel has turned people away from voting for him, the wave of attention to the campus encampments calling for divestment is giving people an example of how change can be made — outside of the ballot box.
Large and small demonstrations and civil disobedience actions have been countless and ongoing, but the explosion of actions on campus has brought attention to a new level. A joint statement from student groups in Gaza has expressed solidarity and thanks to the “Student Intifada in the United States.” As we write there are between 30 and 40 campus encampments for Palestine across the country, and the number is growing.
In New York City alone actions and occupations have spread from Columbia to at least six other campuses. College professors and other educators have shown support for the students. And off campus, after a remarkable “Seder in the Streets to Stop Arming Israel” for the Jewish holiday of Passover, bus drivers with Transit Workers Union Local 100 refused police requests to drive buses of the hundreds arrested.
Up till now, both Arab-led and Jewish-led groups have organized magnificent demonstrations and actions. But there has been a lack of open, democratic spaces where different people can learn from each other and debate strategy for the movement. The occupations create such a space — although administrations have increasingly been closing down campuses to non-students, and attacking peaceful camps to stop that from happening.
Christian nationalist House Leader Johnson was silenced by boos at Columbia when he called for National Guard intervention, but the call has been mirrored by other politicians, Democrat as well as Republican. Such a move would further enrage protesters and sympathisers, recalling the killings at Kent State, and would probobly face significant opposition from individual enrolled in the Naitonal Guard. In Georgia, police violently arrested students at an Emory University encampment, using a chemical iritant, tasers, and reportedly rubber bullets. Faculty are voting on a “motion of no confidence” in the College president over “unpresidented” use of force, and “false statements” by the administration. Almost 100 were arrested at LA’s University of Southern California. Multiple students were injured during violent overnight arrests of over 100 from the encampment at Emerson College in Boston, with the liberal Democratic mayor backing the police.
Persistent resistance and solidarity have given the protesters the upper hand. If the violence of the state succeeds in shutting down these encampments, and administrations get away with banning pro-Palestinian organizations, it will be the wedge of a larger attack on the left, and any anti-racist voices and dissent. If we hold out, it will continue reverberating far beyond the campuses. It can mean an explosion in successful Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaigns, it can provide inspiration for Palestine actions by workers, unions and workplaces, it can be a step forward for other activists and the left in general, and it will be a large contribution to a movement that could break the US government’s unquestioned support for Israel. This is the biggest contribution we can make to Palestinian liberation.
Eric Fretz
The next Marx21 Zoom meeting will discuss the Palestine solidarity movement in the US on Sunday, April 28 at 11am Pacific//2pm Eastern. There will be reports from Michigan and both coasts, and room for more discussion on Palestinian liberation.
Marx21 US 