NYU students protest, demand no compliance with Trump’s attacks
New York, NY – On September 10, NYU students joined a rally led by the NYU Students for a Democratic Society, with the endorsement of over a dozen university organizations, to demand that NYU end its compliance with the Trump administration’s attacks.
The campaign demanded NYU declare itself a sanctuary campus, for the administration to actively work to stop student deportations, pledge to protect trans rights on campus, increase Black enrollment, and commit to protect cultural programs on campus.
Students chanted “NYU don’t comply , don’t give in to Trump’s lies” and “No compliance! With Trump’s violence!” As students chanted, dozens of community members and students in the area stopped for brief periods to take pictures and record the rally. Many people waved fists and chanted along in support.
Janani Venkataramanan, from NYU Wagner Advocacy and Political Action stated, “Our school [Wagner], much like NYU at large, prides itself on being diverse. Wagner is majority women, and over 50% of Wagner students identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander or mixed. 27% are international students. Now we face a reality where policies, at the especially federal level but also state and city level, are meant not only to ignore certain historically underserved people, but also actively harm them. All this to line the pockets and serve the overlords that have always had power.”
A student from the Law Students for Justice in Palestine spoke on how NYU has been attacking free speech by expelling student protesters in compliance with Trump’s overall attacks on the Palestinian liberation movement. They also spoke on NYU Law inviting ICE’s legal arm to speak at a career fair. However, through significant and effective student organizing, law students were able to get ICE removed from the fair. They ended by emphasizing the need to continue organizing and fighting back Trump’s agenda.
Ebtesham Ahmed, from the NYU Students for a Democratic Society stated, “Donald Trump has unleashed relentless attacks on higher education and the students in it. University administrations all over the country have only shown cowardice towards Trump’s attacks on our education. Resistance is the rare exception, with compliance being the norm. NYU is no exception to this pattern.” They spoke on how NYU stated they will “comply with the law” with ICE coming onto campus, NYU’s silence as Langone revoked gender affirming care, NYU cutting Black enrollment in half from 7% to 4% from 2023 to 2024, and the university’s complete silence as cultural programs all over the country are defunded and cut. They emphasized the necessity to organize and take collective action to win their demands.
After speakers went, protesters dispersed with a call to action to continue organizing, taking action, and agitating friends. Ebtesham said at the end, quoting Fred Hampton, “When we dare to struggle, we dare to win! If we don’t dare struggle, then we don’t deserve to win!”