US Universities Threaten Pro-Palestine Students
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), one of the top-ranked universities in the United States, is threatening to withhold diplomas from students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests. Fifty-five students, arrested during a police raid at a Gaza solidarity camp, were warned that they are facing serious sanctions for violating the code of conduct.
Students required to discuss the charges against them at a meeting were informed that if they fail to attend, their records will be frozen, and they will be prevented from graduating. Although the arrested students have not yet been arraigned on criminal charges, it has been indicated that disciplinary meetings could legally jeopardize the students.
Vincent Doehr, a PhD student in political science, mentioned that the warnings from the UCLA administration have caused significant anxiety, stating, “These students have already suffered post-traumatic stress disorder from being subjected to police violence on behalf of the UCLA administration, and now they must go through another disciplinary process.” Doehr pointed out that the administration’s response is not based on concerns about student safety, but rather aims to deter pro-Palestinian student activism. “The university wants to silence students speaking about genocide,” said another UCLA student, Marie Salem, describing the disciplinary process as an "intimidation tactic." Salem, demanding that the university disclose its financial ties, said, “UCLA prefers to harm its own students rather than consider divesting from companies supporting Israel.”