Pro-Palestine protests at US universities yield results

According to a report by The Columbian newspaper, an agreement was reached between students and the administration on April 30 after Evergreen State College accepted the demands of pro-Palestine students. 

In this context, a memorandum of understanding was signed between student representatives and the university administration, and the students agreed to dismantle their encampment.

According to the memorandum, Evergreen State College President John Carmichael will share a statement expressing his call for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, and the expansion of humanitarian aid to the region.

The university also committed to not approving study abroad programs in Israel, Gaza, or the West Bank, or programs in regions where students could be obstructed due to their Jewish or Palestinian identities, while the conflict continues.

Under the protocol, students and the university administration will monitor the implementation process of the agreement terms through jointly established committees, and the process will be reported to the university, which will evaluate implementing them by 2026 at the latest.

Additionally, other committees will propose the creation of a new structure for the Police Services Community Review Board, which oversees police officers on campus, by the fall of 2026, and the development of a non-police intervention model for incidents by 2030.

Evergreen State College spokesperson Farra Hayes expressed gratitude to the students who negotiated with them, noting that the demonstrations remained peaceful and that the situation did not escalate.

Alex Marshall, a junior at Evergreen and one of the four students who signed the protocol, pointed out that no students were arrested and no students were penalized for policy violations during the week of the demonstrations, stating, "We are extremely happy that everyone is safe and that we were able to get through this process without our students being subjected to police violence."

Marshall said the students' final list of demands was prepared during meetings at the encampment throughout the week.

The students had set up camp in the campus's Red Square after some students walked out of classes and held a rally on April 23.

AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN UNIVERSITY AND STUDENTS

Brown University President Christina H. Paxson announced in a letter published on the university's website on April 30 that the university administration and the student group demonstrating in support of Palestine at the school had reached an agreement.

Stating that the agreement includes the removal of the encampment set up on the school campus on April 24 to support Palestine, Paxson announced that a 5-person student group would attend the university's corporate meeting this month.

While reporting that the issue of divesting from companies linked to Israel, which the students demanded, would not be voted on at this month's meeting, Paxson noted that she would request a report on the matter from the relevant university department by September 30.

The 5-person student group that will attend the meeting representing the demonstration will present their demands for the university to divest from its investments in companies linked to Israel.

Northwestern University administration has reached an agreement with students who organized pro-Palestine demonstrations.

The university administration announced on Monday, April 29, that they had reached an agreement with students and faculty members and that the demonstrations had ended peacefully.

Thus, Northwestern University became the first school to reach an agreement between pro-Palestine students and the school administration.

In contrast, the demonstrations will continue on campus until June 1. According to the statement published on the university's website, only students and university staff will be able to participate in the protests.

SUPPORT ACTIONS AT UNIVERSITIES

At Columbia University, pro-Palestine students began a sit-in in the campus courtyard on April 16 to protest the school's ongoing financial investments in companies that support Israel's attacks and occupation in Gaza.

On the 2nd day of the actions, the President's Office requested assistance from the New York police to disperse the protesters, and the police who entered the campus detained 108 students.

The incident at Columbia University fueled the debate on "freedom of speech restrictions" that began against Palestinian students at US universities after October 7, 2023, and student protests spread to other universities across the country in response to the detentions.

Student actions in support of Palestine are still ongoing at many major universities across the US.

Police have detained approximately 2,200 people, including some faculty members, in the last 2 weeks.