On the 3ed of September, USF (University of South Florida) deployed police teams all over campus with the intention of finding and “getting” any protesters who dared to show themselves for Palestine.
Cops or the administration sent word they would find and “get” any protesters. Protesters then departed the campus and set up a press conference at 56th and Fowler to denounce the university’s violent threats, only to have the corporate media boycott the presser.
They were no doubt told about the university’s threats, and it is known that USF has a violent history of police assaults and malicious prosecution of student protesters. The April 29th tear gas attack on a pro-Palestine encampment at USF was a major news story. So was the Tampa 4. Despite all of this, not a single representative of any corporate news outlet showed up.
As this is written, it is reported that Columbia University’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter has attempted to hold a protest, only to face a police kettle and presumed mass arrests. At this happend their Instagram account was taken down.
Below is my personal take on what all of this shit implies:
We see from today’s events plus the brutal repression of the Palestine camps last April and May that pro-Israel forces are engaging in an all-out offensive here in the US to destroy any dissent against their torture and murder in now the West Bank as well as Gaza. The First Amendment is being brazenly ignored, as all of these bans are content-specific, targetting pro-Palestine protest specifically.
We have seen in just one day a coordinated campaign by police, universities, and Meta to crush this year’s student protests for Palestine before they can start. This is being done with total disregard for all law and all prior rules of engagement concerning protest in the US.
Note that students are being expelled simply for participating in protests, which means that young people will find themselves saddled with student loans that can never be paid as they have only a high school diploma. A note for high school students: if you are politically active, consider NOT going to college until this war is over, so as not to have expulsions etc on your record. Take the year off, focus on winning the war against genocide.
As matters stand today, people who want to pursue a career are being warned that if they dare to step out of line, their intended lives will be over. The US and Israeli governments are not taking half measures, that means we cannot afford to either.
If protest is outlawed, only outlaws can protest. If people are banned from employment due to their beliefs, they are effectively declared outlaws.
From Gaza to the West Bank to USF to Columbia University, this is all the same war. Speaking of that, news from Gaza today is Israel bombed a VACCINATION CENTER against polio in violation of their own pledge to consider them protected areas.