USC’s Alumni Park, which is scheduled to host the university’s commencement ceremony on May 10th, has become the site of the occupation. The student organizers have stated that their action is taken in solidarity with the people of Palestine and in resistance to attempts by USC and other universities to suppress student activism in support of Palestine. They have also demanded that the university issue a public statement calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and denounce the ongoing Israeli military operation as genocidal.
The occupation began early Wednesday morning with several dozen students setting up an encampment in Alumni Park. USC police have instructed students to refrain from hanging signs or using megaphones in the park. However, students have been chanting slogans such as “Free Palestine!” throughout the occupation.
The students’ demands include:
– Divestment from any organizations that “profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine”
– A complete academic boycott of Israel, including an end to study-abroad programs in the area and cutting ties with Israeli universities
– Protection of free speech for students voicing support for Palestine
– Issuance of a public statement from the university “calling for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza, denouncing the ongoing genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people and call on government officials to do so too”
The USC occupation comes amidst an ongoing debate about the role of universities in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. USC made national headlines in recent weeks after barring pro-Palestinian valedictorian Asna Tabassum from speaking at commencement due to concerns over her political views. The decision sparked widespread criticism from student groups and civil rights organizations.
USC Provost Andrew Guzman has stated that the decision to bar Tabassum was not politically motivated but based on security concerns. However, critics of the decision argue that it is part of a broader pattern of silencing pro-Palestinian voices on college campuses. The USC occupation is the latest example of the growing student activism on the issue of Palestine and is likely to add fuel to the debate about the role of universities in addressing the conflict.
