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.

#RochesterNY #StudentMovement #AntiWarMovement #International #Palestine #SDS

Los manifestantes demandaron que la universidad dejase de estar involucrada con empresas que reciban benéficos de la guerra, la iniciación de un fondo de ayuda humanitaria para Gaza, el envío de suplementos para la desvastada Universidad de Gaza y proveer por lo menos un mínimo de cinco becas para estudiantes Palestinos cada año.

Los Palestinos en Gaza están todavía en un hilo desde la brutal ocupación de tres semanas por parte del ejercito Israelita, financiado por el gobiernos de los Estados Unidos, matado mas de 1335 Palestinos y dejando miles de heridos.

La ocupación del edificio vino en medio de una onda de ocupaciones similares de las universidades que barrió Gran Bretaña en las últimas dos semanas. “Las 16 ocupaciones de universidades en Inglaterra nos inspiraron a que hiciéramos algo similar aquí en solidaridad con la gente en Gaza, ” Eugene Brud, joven de la Universidad de Rochester y organizador de la protesta.

Apenas nueve horas después de que la sentada comenzara, los estudiantes declararon la victoria después que el decano de los estudiantes firmó una declaración que aprobaba varias de las demandas. “ La ocupación terminó en una declaración común con el decano de estudiantes, decano Burns, que las comisiones incluidas por la administración de la universidad para realizar la ayuda humanitaria y académica, así como las becas para la población de Palestina, ” Brud dijo.

“En cuanto al desposeimiento, conseguimos un acuerdo para un foro público en la aplicación el desposeimiento con la administración. Éste es, por supuesto, lejos brevemente de la demanda para el desposeimiento de fabricantes de armas, ” Brud continuo. “ Pero lo [...] obtenido todavía se puede ver como éxito, pues permite que un espacio empuje la edición más lejos y, si el esfuerzo se pone en él, con más fuerza y claridad.” Además de los Estudiantes para una Sociedad Democrática (SDS), la ocupación de la universidad consideró la participación amplia de organizaciones de la comunidad y del campus, incluyendo los veteranos de Iraq contra la guerra, Rochester contra guerra y la red pacifista del campus.

#RochesterNY #AntiwarMovement #News #Gaza #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #Palestine

The protesters demanded that the university divest from corporations involved in war profiteering, initiate a day of fundraising for humanitarian aid to Gaza, send supplies to the devastated Gaza University and provide a minimum of five scholarships to Palestinian students each year.

Palestinians in Gaza are still reeling from a brutal three-week war in which Israeli occupation forces, backed by the United States government, killed over 1335 Palestinians and wounded several thousand more.

The building occupation came amid a wave of similar university occupations that swept Great Britain in the past two weeks. “The 16 university occupations in England inspired us to do something similar here in solidarity with people in Gaza,” said Eugene Brud, a junior at University of Rochester and an organizer of the protest.

Just nine hours after the sit-in began, the students declared victory after the Dean of Students signed a statement agreeing to several of the key demands. “The occupation ended in a joint statement with the Dean of Students, Dean Burns, that included commitments by the university administration to carry out humanitarian and academic aid, as well as scholarships for the people of Palestine,” Brud said.

“As for divestment, we got an agreement for a public forum on the issue of divestment with the administration. This is, of course, far short of the demand for divestment from arms manufacturers,” continued Brud. “But the gains obtained [...] can still be viewed as a success, as it allows a space to push the issue further and, if the effort is put into it, with more strength and clarity.”

In addition to Students for a Democratic Society, the university occupation saw broad participation from community and campus organizations, including Iraq Veterans Against the War, Rochester Against War and the Campus Antiwar Network.

#UniversityOfRochester #RochesterNY #Gaza #PalestineSolidarity