GW University president, pro-Palestinian activists give conflicting accounts of protests
Responding to the ongoing encampment of protesters at George Washington University over the Israel-Hamas war, the university president said the causes are important, but outside forces are stirring the conflict.
In a letter addressed to the GW University community Sunday, President Ellen Granberg stated: “It is clear that this is no longer a GW student demonstration,” adding that the protest “has been co-opted by individuals who are largely unaffiliated with our community and do not have our community’s best interest in mind.”
While stating, “There is a dire humanitarian crisis occurring in Gaza that must be addressed,” Granberg said what was happening at GW University — and other universities around the U.S. — was growing out of control.
“What is currently happening at GW is not a peaceful protest protected by the First Amendment or our university’s policies,” Granberg said. “The demonstration, like many around the country, has grown into what can only be classified as an illegal and potentially dangerous occupation of GW property.”
As point and case, Granberg pointed to the volatile situation that had arisen at GW University in the last week.
“When protesters overrun barriers established to protect the community, vandalize a university statue and flag, surround and intimidate GW students with antisemitic images and hateful rhetoric, chase people out of a public yard based on their perceived beliefs, and ignore, degrade, and push GW Police Officers and university maintenance staff, the protest ceases to be peaceful or productive. All of these things have happened at GW in the last five days,” she said.
Stating that GW campus police are only equipped to handle security during “normal university operations,” Granberg also said the university would continue to reach out to the D.C. police to help provide security and safety while the protests and encampments continue.
GW University students ‘remain steadfast for Gaza’
Ahead of Granberg’s statement, a joint news release from the Student Coalition for Palestine at GWU said that protestors would remain steadfast in their protest “despite repression from their genocidal university and state.”
“For nine days, GW President Ellen Granberg and her administration have persistently evaded requests to engage in an open line of communication with a student negotiation team representing the community inside our Liberated Zone,” the organization said.
“Despite repeated attempts from our negotiations team to schedule meetings with Granberg and her administration, GW has refused to cooperate.”
The group, which includes students from D.C.-area campuses, including American University, Georgetown University, Howard University, George Mason University, Gallaudet University and the University of Maryland’s College Park and Baltimore County locations, continues to push for divestments and disclosures at institutions across the region.
“This is a blatant commitment to perpetuating the genocide in Gaza,” the statement reads, “favoring the interests of zionist donors and politicians over the demands of the masses of students, staff and faculty at the encampment.”
University students also said the increasing surveillance and barricades erected around the encampment on April 26 were troubling moves from the administration. Moreover, the group said, the decision to suspend eight student protestors “denied them access to education, housing and meal plans.”
“Despite baseless claims of antisemitism meant to divert attention away from the genocide in Gaza, the only material harm that has been enacted against Jewish students has been at the hands of the administration,” the group said.
The students also said administrators were responsible for assaults and physical aggression around and near the protest space.
“This includes our own Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Christopher Alan Bracey physically assaulting a female Jewish student unprovoked during his fit of rage in the middle of the night at our encampment,” the organization said.
Both statements come days after GW University said a university flag was “illegally removed” by protesters and replaced with a Palestinian flag, a violation of D.C. law and university policy. As police intervened, officers were surrounded by a crowd yelling “hostile chants” and were forced to withdraw to prevent further escalation.