Students and faculty held a press conference Thursday night at Virginia Tech to dispute the university's account of a pro-Palestinian camp that was cleared late Sunday night and 82 people arrested for trespassing.
After Virginia Tech police, assisted by the Virginia State Police and local police departments, destroyed the encampment late Sunday night, the university said it was “intense enforcement, intimidation, and threats of retaliation against students and faculty.” continues to suppress organized protests. These are people who want to continue exercising their constitutional rights,” said Desiree Poetz, assistant professor of political science at Virginia Tech.
Shahed Sanuri, one of several students who spoke at the press conference, said Sands has since contacted several students who were arrested during the protests. But he has not issued a formal apology, visited protesters or contacted the arrested Palestinian students, she said.
Mr. Sanuri said the organization had contacted Mr. Sands to request a meeting.
Asked via email Thursday night whether Sands had been in contact with any of the students or faculty members who were arrested, university spokesperson Michael Stowe said, “Yes, he was. Earlier this week. As stated in his message, President Sands interacts with the student body on a regular basis.”
[Read more: Students, faculty arrested at Virginia Tech now face possibility of university discipline]
A pro-Palestinian movement began on campus in October.
Protesters' grievances against University President Tim Sands and administrators at public universities date back to October, when Sands criticized the October 7 terrorist attack by Israel's Hamas that sparked the ongoing violence in Gaza. He issued a statement expressing his sadness.
The statement does not acknowledge the number of Palestinian deaths from Israeli military attacks that followed the initial attack.
A group of protesters on Thursday continued to recount events from fall to spring leading up to their encampment on the lawn of the Graduate Life Center, which lasted for three days before being dispersed by campus police. Of the 82 people arrested, 53 were students.
The campaign called on Tim Sands to meet with students, divest from Israeli investments, issue a public university statement condemning the violence in Gaza, and acknowledge the crackdown on Palestinian students and their allies. request to consider the request.
Students from the Palestinian Peace and Justice Student Group, the Islamic Student Association, and the Middle East and North Africa Student Association repeatedly requested a meeting with Sands. The meeting took place in mid-November.
“Our most urgent and important request was for Sands and the regime to issue a statement equally acknowledging the enormous loss of life in Gaza as a result of the Israeli regime's attacks,” Javeed said. Stated. The statement continued: “Our request was granted with reluctance. Mr. Sands put the interests of the organization above the well-being of the people and expressed further concerns about the donor and its response,” student Faatina Hameed said Thursday. In the evening, he read a statement posted on the Instagram account of Palestine and Students for Justice and Peace in Palestine. VT4 Palestine early afternoon.
Mr. Sands issued the following statement after the November meeting, which included the following statement: Finding. ”
But students were not satisfied and continued to demand greater action from the university throughout the school year. The Graduate School Senate approved a statement condemning Israel's attacks on education and research in the Gaza Strip and calling for the divestment of tech companies, while a similar statement from the Faculty Senate and Faculty Senate at Thursday's press conference He claimed that the situation was stagnant due to government intervention.
Protesters: Sands' comments on protests reinforce sense that Palestinian students are not welcome
The students' efforts culminated in a campout on the lawn of the Graduate Life Center that began early on Friday, April 26th.
Protesters said the protests had been peaceful throughout the weekend, but Virginia Tech police suddenly told the group Sunday afternoon that they needed to vacate their camp. Protesters called on Sands to speak with the group. Vice President for Student Affairs Frances Keene also came to the encampment, but protesters said she was not willing to discuss their demands. She instead said, “I'm not here to discuss why you're here, I'm just here to tell you that you have to leave,” according to a statement read Thursday. said.
Professor Stowe would not comment on Thursday afternoon about Mr Keene's involvement or the date of Sunday's order to destroy the camp, referring only to the university's response memo and Mr Sands' Monday letter.
In his message, Sands said, “Uncivil and unlawful actions are preferred over purposefully engaging members of our community in the difficult conversations and passionate debates that should be part of the Virginia Tech experience.” I am very sorry to see him choose to act.”
Bikram Gill, an assistant professor of political science who spoke at a news conference Thursday after his arrest at the encampment, said Sands' statements about student protesters were “very consistent” with what Gov. Glenn Youngkin said. Stated.
Youngkin appeared on CNN over the weekend and posted on X (formerly Twitter) calling for protests on college campuses.anti-semitic” they say.endanger public safety”
Gill said statements like those made by Sands and Youngkin reinforce the idea that “Palestinian students are not welcome members of this community.”
“There were 20 to 30 people here on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.,” Poets added, when the camp was told to disperse. “The response Virginia Tech chose was not inevitable.”
