Photo by Adriano Contraras

  Feb.7 

An academic building at the University of Rochester was occupied by students and community members yesterday who demanded, among other things, that the University administration take concrete steps toward divestment from corporations that manufacture war implements used by Israel in the occupation of and attacks on Gaza. 

 After nearly 9 hours of occupation, the Administration was said to have agreed to the following principles:

University of Rochester will commit surplus goods to students in Gaza.

University of Rochester will commit resources and information to develop a Palestinian fund drive.

University of Rochester will commit to research ways to provide scholarships to Gaza strip students.

University of Rochester will commit to help organize a forum to expose or make transparent the investments of the University towards Israel.

 “The administration of the University of Rochester can now be held accountable for signing the statement and can also be pushed further to ultimately get the University to divest from corporations that manufacture artillery, white phosphorus, bulldozers, and everything else that goes into the making of the apartheid,” said Adriano Contreras, spokesperson for the coalition that organized the protest. The group included University of Rochester Students for a Democratic Society, The Campus Anti-War Network, Rochester Against War, the International Socialist Organization and Iraq Veterans Against the War.

 Commenting on the UR events, Cris McConkey of Enfield and an activist with Citizens for a Just Peace said,"This is totally relevant for Ithaca and Tompkins County. The fact that students at UR were able to obtain this agreement in nine hours is awesome and should be a great inspiration to student activists everywhere!"

Nevin Sabet, another Ithaca area activist commented,"I think we are entering a reawakening of our strong yet suppressed history of rich student and workers struggle. It only took 9 hours for students to get their reasonble but adamant demands met. And then Republic Window and Doors in December. That was 5 days and workers got what they demanded or rather what was supposed to be promised them. Unheard of in my lifetime, but coming straight out of the 60's, 30's and late 1800's. We have to keep letting people know just how powerful their voice is once it is organized and in solidarity with other workers. 'Bread and roses, too!'"