Students Call VTSU Administration to Action in Pro-Palestine Protest

On May 1st at 9 AM, students began setting up an encampment in the center of Vermont State University (VTSU) Lyndon’s campus in support of the wide-sweeping movement across the country to free Palestine. Action at VTSU came after the University of Vermont began an encampment on their campus on Sunday, leading the movement in the Vermont college community. Encampments have begun organizing on college campuses across the country as outraged students protest the United States and college associations support for Israel as the war in Gaza continues. 

At 11 AM, the Vermont State University Department of Public Safety came to the encampment and issued an ultimatum that the tent must be removed by 2 PM or else it will be physically removed by the University. Public Safety officers seized and removed a sign and Palestine flag at that time. According to Public Safety Officers at the scene, these actions were issued by the VTSU Dean of Students Jamia Danzy. 

Despite the discouraging start, students began gathering throughout the late morning and afternoon to help paint new signs. Some students brought posterboards, others paint, pens, tarps, and other necessities for the ongoing protest. A petition was started and disseminated by the group of protesters. A Change.org petition was also created and has begun to spread across the student body through social media. 

The efforts are ongoing. Students in the protest group demand that VTSU Administration: 

1. Publicly call for a ceasefire in Gaza 
2. Divest from Israel and Israel-supporting organizations
3. Support an academic boycott of Israel 

Until these demands are met, student protesters will be gathering in the center of campus adjacent to Veterans Park and will be participating in a hunger strike.  

At this time, the campus Student Government Association has not commented on the ongoing protest efforts. Similarly, Dean of Students Jamia Danzy has not replied to the protests’ request for permission to post signs and organize on the campus further.  

Says a student protester, “The lack of public attention to the issues that each leader at this academic institution is aware of is cowardly. Student leaders need to stand up for Palestine’s efforts. We are looking at you, SGA. Academic leaders need to speak out against the genocidal acts of Israel that academic institutions across the nation continue to fund and support. We are looking at you, the administration: the Board of Trustees, Dean of Students, Faculty, and Chancellor’s Office.”  

“For us”, says Kai, a student leader of the ongoing protest at Lyndon, “we firmly believe that this is what it means to be a student leader, to be the lone few standing out here, speaking out, while the supposed “leaders” quietly watch.”  

Leaders at VTSU have been advised not to comment on the protest efforts, on the global social climate, and the alleged war crimes being committed. Protesters have this to say regarding the university’s stance. “Your silence speaks volumes. Consequentially, you will be on the wrong side of history someday.” 

Editor’s note: After the protest began on Wednesday, Israel flags were posted later that day across campus in response. Almost every door and posterboard had one on it. They could even be found on stop signs near the Stonehenge parking lot.

More information can be found at: 

https://www.uvm.edu/~istokes/sjp-uvm/Home+About.htm 

Feature Photo courtesy of Kai Paroline. || A tent is pitched next to Lyndon’s Veteran’s Park with several Pro-Palestine signs propped up.