Pitt Students Demand University Divest from Companies with Ties to Israel
A group of students gathered at the University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday, May 17th, to demand that the school disclose investments in Israeli organizations and divest from companies complicit in apartheid, occupation, and genocide. The demonstrators, who were part of a nationwide movement, also called on the university to condemn the ongoing conflict in Gaza and cut all ties with Israeli universities.
The demonstration was held in solidarity with similar protests at other campuses across the country, including Columbia University, Yale, and MIT. Organizers of the Pitt demonstration said they were inspired by the growing movement for Palestinian liberation and the recent escalation of violence in Gaza.
“We are here today to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and to demand that the University of Pittsburgh divest from companies that are complicit in their oppression,” said one of the organizers, who asked not to be named.
The demonstrators held signs that read “Free Palestine” and “Genocide Joe, how many kids have you killed today?” and chanted slogans such as “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” They also distributed flyers that provided information about the conflict in Gaza and the history of Israeli apartheid.
The demonstration was peaceful, and campus police stood by to monitor the event. The organizers said they planned to remain on the lawn until Friday, May 20th, and they encouraged other students and community members to join them.
The University of Pittsburgh has not yet responded to the demands of the demonstrators. However, the issue of divestment from companies with ties to Israel has been a key platform for pro-Palestine college students for decades. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war has reinvigorated the issue, pushing it to the center stage of protests across the country.
Additional Information
* The demonstration was organized by the Pitt Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Pittsburgh chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).
* The demonstrators were joined by members of the local community, including representatives from the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).
* The demonstration was part of a nationwide day of action called by the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR).
* Other universities where similar demonstrations were held on Tuesday include Columbia University, Yale University, Tufts University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Vanderbilt University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
* The conflict in Gaza has been ongoing since May 10th, 2021, and has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians and Israelis.
* The United States has been providing military aid to Israel for decades, and President Joe Biden has expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself. However, some critics have argued that the US should do more to pressure Israel to end the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
