Faculty members and academic staff condemn the repressive response of Princeton University's administration to peaceful student protests advocating for divestment from Israel. The administration's attempts to criminalize and vilify the protesters, along with their excessive use of force, set a dangerous precedent for suppressing future expressions of dissent and protest. We call for the dropping of charges against arrested students, immediate dialogue, and the resignation of Vice President W. Rochelle Calhoun.
Repression of Peaceful Student Protests at Princeton University
( Credit to: Dailyprincetonian )
In a powerful display of solidarity with Palestine, students and community members at Princeton University have been engaging in peaceful protests and civil disobedience. However, the university administration's response has been one of repression and vilification, which we, the undersigned faculty members and academic staff, condemn.
( Credit to: Dailyprincetonian )
It is crucial to acknowledge the context that led to the escalation of these protests. For decades, the students have been demanding that the university divest from Israel, but their pleas have been consistently ignored. Despite their persistent efforts to engage in dialogue through formal channels, the administration has shown complete refusal to respond in a serious and good-faith manner.
Historical Significance of Peaceful Protests
The occupation of Clio Hall on April 29, which marked the culmination of the students' protest, is a measure that has been used throughout history in various protest movements. The university itself celebrates the history of such protests, as evidenced by the assigned Pre-read for the past school year, "How to Stand Up to a Dictator" by Maria Ressa '86.
Occupying academic buildings, encamping on university lawns, and mobilizing people on campus have been common forms of protest on U.S. campuses, including at Princeton. These measures have been employed during protests against apartheid in South Africa and against U.S. wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The current protest for divestment from Israel is no different; it is a peaceful expression of dissent and a call for justice.
Criminalization of Student Protests
However, the administration has chosen to criminalize this protest and the student protesters leading it. In an April 30 message to the campus community, Vice President W. Rochelle Calhoun falsely claimed that the student protesters who entered Clio Hall were violent and threatened people inside the building. This unfounded accusation contradicts the eyewitness account of a faculty observer who was present during the occupation. By painting a picture of yelling, abuse, and unsafety, Calhoun attempts to intimidate the student protesters and justifies unsparing discipline against them. This authoritarian assault on democratic principles is both exceptional and dangerous.
It is important to emphasize that all Princeton students protesting for divestment from Israel have done so non-violently. Their disruptions have been no different from previous occupations on campus. In fact, the only student arrested for violent activity on April 29 was a counter-protester who was charged with assault.
Suppression of Free Speech and Use of Force
The administration's invocation of "time, place, and manner" restrictions on free speech appears arbitrary and biased against the viewpoint of the student protesters. Furthermore, their use of force and power throughout the past week sets a dangerous precedent for suppressing future expressions of dissent and protest from students, faculty, and staff.
The administration's insistence on maintaining "public order" through the involvement of law enforcement agencies has only brought disorder and disturbance to what was initially an organized and peaceful student-led protest movement. Instances of police heavy-handedness, such as the arrest of a Black Muslim student who was forced to pray while restrained with zip-ties, next to the Graduate School's Office of Access, Diversity, and Inclusion, highlight the excessive and unnecessary use of force.
Motivations and Offensive Assumptions
It is crucial to address the administration's motivations behind their authoritarian threats of violence against peaceful student protesters. Their actions stem not from a genuine concern for public order and safety, but rather from a desire to quash a movement critical of a particular nation-state and its ongoing genocide. By casting the student protesters as potential criminals, the administration also perpetuates the unfounded and offensive assumption that speaking out against the violence of a nation-state equates to antisemitism. This implication is particularly offensive to our Jewish students who are actively involved in organizing and participating in these protests.
We, along with numerous student organizations, reject the lockdown of Morrison Hall, which houses important academic departments, including African American Studies and various interdisciplinary studies. It is concerning that four out of the five arrested undergraduate students pursuing degrees in African American Studies.
Demands for Dialogue and Resignation
As supporters of the democratic tradition, we affirm the historic role of civil disobedience and Princeton University's commitment to serving humanity without discrimination. We urge the administration to cease the criminalization, mischaracterization, and harassment of non-violent student protesters. We demand the dropping of all charges against the arrested students and the granting of full amnesty, recognizing their right to protest and their use of civil disobedience as a legitimate means of expression. We further demand that the administration engage in immediate dialogue with the students, acknowledging their efforts to initiate dialogue through available procedural means. Lastly, we call for the immediate resignation of Vice President W. Rochelle Calhoun, whose untruthful and misleading representation of the student protesters has undermined trust within the Princeton University community.