Violent and destructive protests on campus pay off, as colleges adopt the protesters’ demands, in the hope of avoiding future violence and destruction. “Portland State University just reopened its library after pro-Palestinian protestors took over and vandalized the building in April, causing $1.23 million in damages. Now, the university is considering protesters’ demands to divest from companies with connections to Israel,” reports The College Fix.
Portland State’s Millar Library re-opened two weeks ago after a lengthy repair process that cost $1.23 million, a university spokeswoman said.
“The protesters’ occupation of the library last spring proved very destructive. Walls, windows, computers, books, furniture, and more were damaged or destroyed, and images showed large parts of the building spraypainted with anti-Israel graffiti,” The College Fix says.
The fire safety system also was damaged, making it unsafe to access the building for months. Seven students were arrested.
Pro-Palestinian protesters demanded that PSU divest from, and end any ties to, Boeing and other companies that make sales to Israel.
Video of damage to the library shows the words “F— Boeing” painted over glass doors.
This fall, the university is heeding the protesters by setting up a Committee on Socially Responsible Investment and Partnership to consider the divestment demands. In April, PSU President Ann Cudd agreed to pause relations with Boeing in response to protesters’ demands.
Boeing has been a longtime donor to PSU, giving “$150,000 to name a classroom in the Karl Miller Center” and “$28,000 a year for scholarships,” according to the student newspaper.
Peter Wood, president of the National Association of Scholars, criticized PSU’s handling of the situation: “Pausing relations with Boeing … sounds like a terrifically bad decision. PSU should not divest from companies that do business with or support Israel. Doing so is de facto anti-Semitism. There is no good fiscal or ethical reason to capitulate to the demands of the anti-Semitic activists who seek such actions.”
Wood says that by giving in to the demands of the protestors, the administration “made it clear that it regards the protesters as having employed legitimate tactics, which it will certainly see again.”
Some Jews worried about returning to campus this year, saying antisemitism is widespread at PSU.
Last week, Columbia University’s president apologized to protesters who occupied campus buildings, which were vandalized in the process.
At Columbia University, pro-Hamas protesters were arrested after they occupied and vandalized campus facilities, paralyzing the university, although few faced serious consequences.
But Columbia University’s new president, Katrina Armstrong, effusively apologized for the arrests, which will encourage protesters to take over the campus in the future. “If you could just let everybody know who was hurt by that, that I’m just incredibly sorry,” Armstrong said. “And I know it wasn’t me, but I’m really sorry. … I saw it, and I’m really sorry.” A disgusted Steve McGuire says that Armstrong’s “weakness is just incredible. The protestors broke the law. They occupied a building. Antisemitism ran wild. The main graduation had to be canceled. The campus is still in partial lockdown. There has already been more vandalism this semester. And she’s apologizing? She should be promising to do it again if necessary.”
Columbia University’s new president has not apologized for the incident in which a Jewish student was beaten for objecting to a pro-Hamas student tearing down posters of kidnapped Israelis. Earlier this year, a student at Columbia University captured more than 750 antisemitic online posts written by Columbia students and organizations.” “Students reported being told ‘Kill your fucking self. And I’ll fucking kill you.’” One Jewish “student reported that when she went to health services in July, no one came in to see her, and she overheard a discussion between two healthcare professionals in another room in which one said they would not treat her because she was Israeli.”
In May, the union representing custodians employed by Columbia University said it will sue over the university’s mishandling of pro-Palestinian protests. Transport Workers Union International President John Samuelsen told Fox News the New York school failed to protect its staff when protesters took over Hamilton Hall earlier this month.“Columbia should have never put the custodians or the security officer in that position and that is at the heart of the matter. Columbia showed an epic disregard and epically failed to protect the workforce, ” he said.
