Miami students protest Israel-hamas war
OXFORD — Af er weeks of unrest at college campuses across the U.S., students at Miami University started a pro-palestine encampment on the academic quad out- side Roudebush Hall, the uni- versity’s main administrative building.
In the wake of the Isra- el-hama war,studentsacross the country have formed encampments to protest uni- versity investments in com- panies which support Israel, which protesters say is commi ting a genocide against Pal
inians. These protests have led to clashes wi h police and hundreds of arrests, includ- ing at Columbia University, UCLA and more.
Miami’s encampment, led by the campus branch of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), follows a week of sched- uled protests, sign making and study sessions. According to the SJP Instagram account, the encampment began at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Roughly 40 students were at the encamp- ment Thursday night, but that number shrank to about 20 on Friday morning.
In a statement to the Jour- nal-news, Vice President and Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Jessica Riv- inius wrote that university staff have been present to “maintain student safety and ensure that university policy is followed.”
“Unfortunately, partic- ipants have chosen not to follow university policy,” Riv- inius wrote. “Those present have been informed that they are currently violating policy and must come into compli- ance.”
Student protestors have been given 48 hours to stay in their encampment, but admi istrators required them to take down the tents at 6 a.m. Sunday, according to SJP president Maysa Constan- dinidis.
Just after 9 p.m. Thursday, several administrators from Miami, not including Miami President Gregory Crawford, emerged from Roudebush Hall and asked to speak to leaders within the encamp- ment. Darek Sanabria Va der- rama, a junior diplomacy and global politics major and incoming treasurer for
Miami’s branch of Students for Justice in Palestine, and Constandinidis met with the administrators for roughly 15 minutes.
Constandinidis confirmed that the administrators rep- resenting the university included Vice President for Student Life Jayne Brownell, Dean of Students Bashaun Smi h and Assistant Vice Pres- ident for Student Life Scott Walter.
“They will let us stay over- night,” Constandinidis told the protesters at 9:20 p.m. “But if you are not a Miami student, you have to go … you will be considered tres- passing.”
The administrators told Constandinidis and Sanabria Va derrama that the encampment will need to take down their tents but can cont nue to protest in ways that “comply with the policy,” Constand- inidis told the encampment. According to university pol- icy on freedom of expression, students may protest with- out scheduling or obtaining permits, but demonstrations are subject to time, place and manner restrictions. Non-stu- dents, however, requi e authorization.
University policy also prohibits camping outdoors except in designated locations as part of official student organization activities. Temporary structures must be approved by the physical facilities department, and the Miami University Police Department must review and approve security needs.
Sanabria Valderrama said the decision to start an encampment came after conversations with Crawford on May 1. The university committed to reaching out to its strategic investment group to evaluate whether the university has money going to companies in Israel, Sanabria Valderrama said.
“Safety is our number one priority,” Sanabria Valderrama said. “We let everyone knowthatifyou’reuncomf rtable at all, feel free to leave.”
Police officers from the Miami University Police Department monitored the encampment throughout the night. Constandinidis said four
ry angry” people showed up at 4 a.m. and she felt they threatened the safety of student protesters.