USA : « We can’t be stopped »

How did DSA contribute to the mobilization of students in support of Palestine?

Our contribution was extensive, but I would not say that we were leaders. It was a mass movement of students, and it was led by Palestinian organizations such as Students for Justice in Palestine. However, our youth DSA chapters were very active on several campuses. And our local chapters, such as mine in New York City, definitely made a lot of contributions in terms of material support.

Several times at New York University, City University of New York and Columbia, these encampments were raided by the police, and hundreds of students were violently arrested. A lot of property was confiscated. And in every instance where that occurred, we were there to provide jail support for the arrested students, so when they get out of jail, they know that they are not alone.

We were there to feed them and debrief them. We helped coordinate legal representation in some instances. And perhaps more importantly, we helped provide materials to keep the encampments going. At Columbia, several times the police raided. We helped set the encampment back up immediately, the same day. Obviously that requires a lot of equipment and planning. For example, myself and my comrade Amir made a run to Costco, which is a large department store in the United States. We got some tents, some outdoor blankets, and we delivered them, in that particular case, to the encampment of New York University. Some comrades also did a great job of documenting a lot of the experiences and helping coordinate with several other organizations. I would say that we made extensive contributions, but we definitely did not lead, and that the leadership in these cases is being undertaken by Palestinian organizations and Palestinian student organizations.

Were some students sanctioned by the administration of the universities?

Yes, some were arrested by the state, which the campus allowed to happen. They welcomed the cops onto campus. I don’t know if you are aware that a gun was fired inside one of the student buildings. They used explosive munitions, what are called « crowd control munitions » in there too. This was a harrowing experience for some. Several students were expelled from the university for their activities. I think especially Barnard students were victims of expulsion, including those who were victims of a chemical weapons attack by former IDF soldiers that occurred on the campus. Those soldiers were barred from entering campus technically, but were later seen on campus and, as far as I know, have faced no further consequences from the administration, whereas students who were victims of that chemical weapon attack, in some cases, have been expelled for their organizing activities.

The chemical weapon, by the way, is called skunk (skunk is a water-based solution with an extremely foul odor. The smell is likened to raw sewage or rotting animal carcasses. It is sprayed from water cannons). It is used by the IDF against Palestinians, and now it is been used against Americans protesting on behalf of Palestinians by former IDF soldiers on Columbia University’s campus.

There are students facing reprisal for organizing. Several students who participated in campus protests at Columbia University and CUNY were charged with felonies. So far, the felony charges against the Columbia students have been dropped. However, the felony charges against the CUNY students have not yet been dropped. It’s a disparity that corresponds to the class of the students attending the respective universities. CUNY students are typically from more working-class backgrounds than Columbia students.

I have to emphasize that it has not been a deterrent, that everyone that I’m aware of that has faced consequences for their organizing has only been galvanized and not deterred. I think all of us who have been involved in this movement will continue our activity in force. It’s a very encouraging situation in that respect. We can’t be stopped.