NYU told student protesters at the pro-Palestinian encampment outside the Paulson Center they would be suspended if they did not leave the area earlier today, an Instagram post from the university’s Palestine Solidarity Coalition states. NYU confirmed that it would go forward with disciplinary action against protesters in a statement.
University spokesperson John Beckman told WSN that NYU gave protesters two options in negotiations on Sunday night, and extended the deadline for them to respond until noon on Monday. Beckman said protesters were given the choice to either leave the encampment during the nighttime, remove their supplies and “continue a dialogue” with NYU “about their concerns,” or proceed with “overnight stays” at the encampment, ending any “dialogue” with NYU and prompting the university to “move forward on conduct charges.”
In its post, the NYU PSC said the university “refuses to negotiate in good faith” with protesters, who began speaking with senior leadership Saturday evening. Beckman said the university’s goal throughout the encampment protest has been “to make progress toward a resolution,” and that administrators had spoken with protesters “in exchange for a commitment from the students that they would leave.”
“The students failed to honor that promise,” Beckman said. “Ultimately, no agreement was reached that day because at the 11th hour, others, including, we believe, outsiders, insisted that all demands must be met as well.”
Protesters have been asking for four main demands from the university: disclosure of investments and divestment from companies connected to Israel’s ongoing siege in Gaza, the closure of NYU Tel Aviv, the removal of police from campus and the pardoning of disciplinary action taken against pro-Palestinian protesters. The university has previously told WSN it is not considering divestment from companies with ties to Israel.
At the encampment, protesters have been chanting throughout the day, saying “Linda Mills you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide” and “up with liberation, down with occupation,” although most of them are now sitting quietly. Around 60 people remain inside the encampment, which has now entered its fourth day, and another 30 are standing outside the barricades dividing the NYU student and public sides of the space.
Dharma Niles contributed reporting.
Contact Carmo Moniz at [email protected].
