NYU now has its own 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' as students nationwide copy days-long Columbia occupation
One of the groups, Jews Against Zionism, wrote that they intentionally began the protest to coincide with Passover week.
Signs at the protest read: ‘Free Palestine,’ and ‘Jews for anarchy.’
On Monday morning, New York University’s (NYU) Palestine Solidarity Coalition helped launch a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” inspired by an ongoing protest at Columbia University.
The group announced the encampment on Instagram Monday morning: “As of 6 am this morning, NYU students have occupied the Gould Plaza, launching our chapter of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. Standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing 75+ years of occupation and 198 days of the ongoing genocide, we at NYU refuse to remain complicit. We are committed to the fight for Palestinian liberation, and demand the University divest from all corporations aiding in the genocide and fear tactics generating manufactured consent in academic spheres.”
[RELATED: Jewish student ousted from NYU student gov after introducing resolution to condemn terrorism]
Jews Against Zionism, another anti-Israel group, also posted on Instagram explaining why they timed the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” to coincide with Passover, writing: “An essential part of the Passover service is the breaking of Matzah, called Yachatz in Hebrew. In a year that has resulted in so much breaking, Pesach reminds us to break with intention. To break the silence, the norm, the status quo. Today we are breaking with NYU’s complicity in the genocide of Palestine. Every revolution needs breaking. Remember this when breaking your Matzot this evening.”
The group continued: “Please join us for our Seder-themed programming, as we hold the settler colonial project called ‘Israel’ accountable for the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people in our name.”
The anti-Israel protestors set up signs such as “Free Palestine,” “Jews for anarchy,” and “To be heard. To be seen. To be free. Deoccupy,” as seen from an X post from BreakThrough News.
BREAKING: NYU students have begun their Gaza Solidarity Encampment pic.twitter.com/BMLY3AhulG
— BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) April 22, 2024
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NYU Palestine Solidarity Coalition also shared a post from NYU Alumni for Palestine addressed to NYU President Linda Mills that stated: “We write to you as alumni of New York University to express our unfaltering support for the courageous students who gave formed their own Gaza Solidarity Encampment in protest of NYU’s support of the ongoing genocide in Gaza and occupation of Palestine in addition to solidarity with their peers at Columbia and of course, the beautiful people of Palestine.”
Campus Reform has contacted NYU and NYU Palestinian Solidarity Coalition for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
