Thursday afternoon, after The New School’s Board of Trustees failed to hold a vote to divest from companies supporting and arming Israel, over 200 demonstrators gathered in front of the University Center forming a “human blockade” that is slated to remain in place until a divestment vote is held.
The rally, which was an emergency action called by The New School’s Students for Justice in Palestine (TNS SJP), was announced at around 3:30 p.m. today, while the Board of Trustees meeting continued. The demand for a divestment vote was first made on Apr. 29 and was endorsed by faculty members by an overwhelming majority ahead of the board meeting today.
At 6:30 p.m., a rally marshall announced that the board had not voted on divestment, and had instead decided that representatives from the Gaza Solidarity Encampment would be permitted to meet with 3 members of the university’s Investment Advisory Committee on Friday.
According to a statement released by TNS SJP on a Telegram broadcast channel, the trustees attempted to negotiate with student representatives on terms unrelated to the encampment’s demands. It also noted that the students negotiating with the university declined every offer and that the board meeting was “adjourned early out of fear of an escalation” at the rally. “We are holding our position indefinitely and the University Center will remain closed until a vote is passed in the Board of Trustees,” the statement concluded.
During the rally, demonstrators outside the UC chanted “We’ll stay all night,” while about 40 New York Police Department (NYPD) officers surrounded them. The delegation from the NYPD included uniformed officers, commanders, NYPD Legal, NYPD Community Affairs, and multiple officers from the NYPD’s Tactical Assistance Response Unit, which is responsible for “ensuring the collection, processing and transcoding of digital evidence including video and cellphone data.” The NYPD told the New School Free Press that officers had arrived as they were aware of a pre-scheduled rally and were not responding to a call.
Several university administrators were also witnessed at the rally, including Dean of Students Shondrika Merritt, Dean of Eugene Lang College, Christoph Cox, Director of Campus Security, Thomas Iliceto, Director of Fire and Life Safety, Paul Gottlieb, and Vice President for Buildings and Campus Operations, Thomas Whalen.
Demonstrators also blockaded the main entrance to Kerrey Hall, the dorm located on the 8th to 16th floors of the UC. Signs posted on the facade of the UC and marshalls from TNS Faculty for Justice in Palestine advised Kerrey residents to enter through the E. 13th St. emergency exit next to Joe Coffee. According to a post on the TNS SJP Instagram, the administration threatened to “bring police in” if the main entrance to Kerrey remained blocked. At the time of publication, the NYPD has not made any arrests at the rally.
The crowd was met with about 60 counter-protesters on the opposite side of the UC on E. 13th St. Counter-protestors waved multiple Israeli and American flags, as well as a Blue Lives Matter flag. The group made several advances towards the demonstrators, chanting “Am Yisrael Chai,” which is a Hebrew phrase meaning “The People of Israel Live,” “Release the hostages,” “Rape is not resistance,” “USA,” and “IDF,” amongst other slogans.
By midnight, multiple participants at the rally as well as all of the counter-protestors had dispersed, and police presence was significantly reduced. Demonstrators at Kerrey Hall continued, and the rally ended at 1 a.m. on May 3.
New School should not bow to these demands.
Who funds SJP?
Go ahead and demonstrate if you wish, but don’t prevent students from going to school.