As college students return to campus this fall, it remains to be seen whether college administrators have learned how to handle campus protests better.
Moataz Salim claims that during the police clearing of a pro-Palestine encampment at George Washington University earlier this year, his hands and arms were heavily pepper sprayed, causing them to burn for days.
Salim, a clinical psychology graduate student who claims to have lost over 160 relatives in Gaza, wasn’t among the several dozen people arrested on May that day. However, Salim decided to take a leave of absence from his studies following the raid. He did this partly to focus on his activism and partly to avoid disciplinary action from his university.
Salim, 27, claimed that he had been participating in protests and speaking out with members of Congress throughout the summer, primarily in connection with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial visits to Washington during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
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Salim stated that even though he and others are facing disciplinary hearings due to their involvement in the encampment, it’s clear that the students will continue to protest in form as class resumes.
He stated, “These students and myself, we aren’t taking on these repercussions and consequences because it’s fun.” “It’s because it’s the right thing to do.”
Many colleges are starting their fall semester, and administrators are getting ready for a possible surge in campus protests. The previous academic year ended in discord as anti-war protests continued on many school grounds, interfering with graduation ceremonies and putting some students’ academic standing at risk.
The conditions that triggered the current surge of activism haven’t changed significantly since the spring, despite the fact that on-campus protests faded out this summer as students dispersed. The majority of protestors demanded that their colleges change their investment plans, but this is a difficult request to implement in reality.
Despite this, it is a challenging quest to implement in reality. Despite this, a number of prominent college presidents have resigned from their positions. There is a weak international negotiation regarding a possible cease-fire in Gaza. Also, the members of Congress continue to see political opportunities to get involved in the discussion regarding how colleges should handle students’ unrest.
On some campuses, young activists will face strict rules just as they prepare to pick up the pace again. Michael Roth, the president of Wesleyan University, a private college in Connecticut, hopes that those who find themselves in his situation this year have learned a few lessons from the chaos of the previous academic year. His approach to encampments, such as the ones that appeared at several schools, including his own school, is not a uniform or across-the-board stance but rather a complex one.
He stated, “If you have a space of expression and not intimidation, it should be encouraged.” “If it veers into a space of intimidation or harassment… it’s the responsibility of the university to shut it down.”
