Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from University of Rochester Students for a Democratic Society and Students for Justice in Palestine.

As of April 24, the administration of University of Rochester has announced that UR will move forward with an academic boycott from all ties to Israel. This was a demand of the occupation set up by Students for a Democratic Society and Students for Justice in Palestine, now won by the students.

On April 23 at 3:30 a.m. Students for a Democratic Society and Students for Justice in Palestine moved into the Wilson Quad at the University of Rochester. Our organizations did this because the University of Rochester, being the largest employer in upstate New York, has a huge cultural and social impact when it makes decisions and statements. Therefore, we have decided to put pressure on the University to call for a ceasefire of the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people, and for the University to cut all academic ties including study abroad programs and scholarships with universities in Israel.

We are occupying this space until we are physically removed, or our demands are met. We are occupying this space because an annual multi-million dollar student/alumni event is occurring this Friday, 'Dandelion Day'. If the University cannot meet our simple demands, then we plan to disrupt the preparations of Dandelion Day by physically taking up the space where normally the fairgrounds include roller coasters, food trucks, and carnival games.

Our demands as stated are simple: call for a ceasefire, and cut academic ties to Israel. Frankly these are the bare minimum actions for any institution to undertake when there is a genocide going on. We as students deserve to be confident in the fact that our university, our institutions, and our leaders are on the moral and just side of history.

So far the administration has threatened arrest, physical removal by police forces, and the cancellation of Dandelion Day if we do not move. We will not move unless forced to. Free Palestine.

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