NYU faculty members arrested for standing with students in Palestine solidarity protest
New York, New York - Several New York University faculty members were reportedly arrested while joining students at on-campus Palestine solidarity protests this week.
At least eight people were arrested Thursday during a peaceful protest outside the university's Elmer Holmes Bobst Library.
Among them were at least two faculty members, NYU Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine shared in a press release.
The protests at the campus library began Wednesday and continued Thursday – NYU's last day of classes before the winter break.
Some students had linked their arms with long metal cylinders to barricade the entrance to the building as they called on the university to divest from the apartheid state of Israel and shut down its Tel Aviv campus.
When NYPD announced they would start to make arrests, at least two faculty members reportedly stepped in to try to protect the students, resulting in their own arrest.
The move came after the two faculty members and another colleague had been declared persona non grata at the university, resulting in the deactivation of their ID cards, reportedly at the orders of the Office of the Provost, Gigi Dopico.
NYU staff members barred from campus for supporting Gaza protests
The faculty were blocked from entering NYU buildings or even going to their own offices or classrooms – apparently for standing with students opposing Israel's US-backed genocide.
The NYU protests are part of a nationwide student-led movement calling on colleges and universities to divest from Israel amid the devastating 14-month assault on the Palestinian people, which is taking place amid decades of illegal occupation of their lands.
University officials and law enforcement officers have largely responded to the campus solidarity actions with extreme violence and repression.
Cover photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire