UC Riverside students have joined campuses across the country by staging a Gaza Solidarity Encampment on Monday, April 29.
Elsewhere in the Inland Empire, a noon protest is planned Monday in the quad at Cal Poly Pomona, an Instagram post from Students for Justice In Palestine at Cal Poly Pomona states.
“We are calling on our community to come and join us as we rally for the people of Palestine calling on our institution to meet our demands!!,” the post states.
The UCR sit-in, centered around the campus Bell Tower, involves students from the group Students for Justice in Palestine and others.
“We will not leave until our demands are met!” reads a posted to the group’s Instagram account, @sjpucr, early Monday.
Another one!! UC Riverside also launched their Gaza Solidarity Encampment this morning. Southern California is popping off!
ALL POWER TO THE STUDENTS.
A #FreePalestine in our lifetime. https://t.co/08XWhRBIyi pic.twitter.com/9ODh6YyRQQ
— People’s City Council – Los Angeles (@PplsCityCouncil) April 29, 2024
“UCR joins students across the country in demanding that our universities divest from the companies which profit off of the occupation, apartheid, and genocide in Palestine,” another post states.
The posts’ images say that the university invests in “Zionist on-campus corporations” through its University of Haifa’s Education Abroad Program and School of Business Israel Residency Program.
Demands for the university include disclosing information about investments and funding; withdrawing funds from companies “complicit in the Israeli occupation;” committing to protecting Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and allied students; and permanently ending ties with Israeli universities, including the previously mentioned programs.
UCR spokespeople did not immediately respond to a Monday morning email or phone call seeking a university statement on the encampment.
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The Cal Poly Pomona student group’s post calls upon campus President Soraya Coley, her administration and others to call for a ceasefire in the war on Gaza, take part in an academic boycott of Israel, ensure amnesty for protesting students and for “full financial transparency” regarding the campus’ investments and partnerships.
Monday’s student actions regarding the war are not the first in the Inland Empire.
On Friday, April 5, 20 people were arrested after Pomona College students occupied an administration building and would not obey college officials’ demands to leave during a protest in support of Palestinians.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.