(5MinNewsBreak.com) – In a show of the radical left’s resilience as well as devastating consequences, a pro-Palestinian student organization is orchestrating a nationwide university strike to advocate for the divestment of funds from Israel as it fears that its antisemitic, pro-Islamist terrorism protests are fading.
The Young Democratic Socialists of America have outlined their strategy in a newly passed resolution, as reported by The Free Press and The College Fix.
The impending National Student Strike is aimed at compelling institutions to sever financial ties with Israel, advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza, and promoting free speech on campuses.
“No one can ignore large swathes of empty classrooms,” stated Erin Lawson, a member of the YDSA National Coordinating Committee, in a post on the group’s blog.
Lawson argues that the absence of students disrupts normal university operations and diminishes the likelihood of encountering “a high-stress, high-pressure situation, in which arrest and sweeps feel imminent at all times.”
During the 2023-2024 academic year, police arrested approximately 3,100 students at pro-Palestinian protests, as per The New York Times.
Despite significant media coverage, Lawson pointed out that many of the demonstrations failed to meet their objectives.
“We need disruption—and a strike does just that. When students refuse to go to class, the university cannot function,” Lawson articulated.
The resolution does not specify when the strike will occur but includes plans to establish a “Palestine Committee,” arrange training sessions for strike organization, distribute educational materials on political activism, and collaborate with other pro-Palestinian factions.
On the other hand, a warning has come from Columbia University, a focal point of the recent unrest, where a professor has cautioned students about the academic consequences of participating in the strike.
Professor Ran Kivetz of Columbia Business School informed The Free Press that students must understand the potential repercussions of their actions, adding that non-attendance could lead to failing their courses.
Professor Kivetz, who is of Israeli descent, also expressed his dissatisfaction with the university administration’s lax approach towards students who previously engaged in destructive protests at Columbia.
“Will they now apply their existing rules? I hope they will. But I don’t have confidence that they’ll do that,” he said.
In the previous academic year, disruptions caused by pro-Palestinian protesters led several universities, including Columbia, to cancel in-person classes and graduation ceremonies.
Concurrently, campuses within the University of California system reportedly expended over $29 million on security measures, cleaning, and repairs due to the disturbances linked to pro-Palestinian protests during the spring semester.
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