Pro-Palestine student encampments continue to spread on college campuses nationwide, inspired by protest movements at Columbia, Yale, and New York Universities. Now, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland area college students have come together as well to form an encampment at D.C.’s George Washington University.
The encampment was organized by the DMV Students for Justice in Palestine Coalition and is demanding that universities “end all academic partnerships with the zionist state of Israel,” drop charges against students, protect pro-Palestinian speech on campus, and disclose any investments schools have made in companies selling weapons to Israel.
Students from George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Galludet University, University of Maryland, George Mason University, and American University are allegedly participating.
“ALL OUT TO GW! JOIN THE DMV STUDENT ENCAMPMENT FOR GAZA!” the Coalition wrote in an Instagram post caption. “NO BUSINESS AS USUAL AFTER 200 DAYS OF GENOCIDE!”
The D.C. area schools join students on more than 20 other university and college campuses who have gathered in encampments to protest their schools’ ties to Israel and stand in solidarity with the over 33,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli military offensives. Many students have faced disciplinary actions from schools for their presence at protests, and some have even been arrested.
A video posted on the Coalition’s Instagram story shows that student protestors began gathering in tents on the University Yard early this morning.
Students were also carrying signs this morning that said “end the siege on Gaza,” “drop defense,” and “do you want blood on your hands?” while protesting George Washington University President Ellen Granberg. The University offers a “Study in Israel” scholarship, which the protesters are also demanding the school divest from.
“Granberg, Granberg, you’re a coward,” students yelled in a video posted by journalist Chuck Modiano. “We the students have the power.”
The encampment is receiving support and opposition on social media. X user Stephanie Ricker posted a video of the encampment from above and wrote that she is in “solidarity” with the “incredible students.”
“I’m able to see (and hear!!) GW’s encampment in support of a free Palestine,” Ricker tweeted. “Solidarity to the incredible students, who are asking for community support!!!! Show up if you can!!”
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), a George Washington alum, tweeted this morning that school alumni “will never allow” the encampment at the school “to happen” in response to a photo of students in tents on the University Yard.
Other alum plan to do the exact opposite, though—many commented on the Coalition’s Instagram post about needing community support.
“Those who are there, pls let this alum know what is needed,” a George Washington University alum commented. “I plan to swing by today and bring food/water/supplies (and energy).”
Yet as the protests grow, so does the response from law enforcement. In an update on Thursday, protestors said on Instagram that officers with Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department had begun removing journalists from the encampment.
Similar crackdowns have been witnessed at campuses all over the country, including at the University of Texas at Austin.
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