BOSTON – On Wednesday, Emerson College notified pro-Palestinian protesters in downtown Boston violated city law by occupying Boylston Place and turning it into a tent city. The college warned that the student police have the right to respond.
Despite this, the students do not back down and continue to plant Palestinian flags and signs stating that they will not leave.
Emerson students make demands
Student protests against the war between Israel and Hamas are growing in the city of Boston. Students at Emerson College are demanding that the government support their message of Palestinian liberation. Until then, they say they will continue to occupy Boylston Place, an alley near the university.
“We will stay until our demands are met or we are forcibly dragged away,” said Emerson College student Amrita Bala.
Students were warned by the council on Wednesday that their tent city, built outside the Department of Transportation building, violates Boston city ordinance. Students are prepared for possible consequences.
CBS Boston
“At this point, this is an effective way to ensure that our demands are met and we can continue to put pressure on these institutions,” said Rayan Afif.
Students for Justice in Palestine, an unaffiliated group of students at Emerson College, has demands before they will leave the area.
“Disclose all financial ties, disintegrate from Israel, end the oppression of students and call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Palestine,” Bala said.
Students protest in solidarity with Columbia University
Students say they are inside solidarity with Columbia University after arrests were made on the New York City campus. Students at Harvard are now doing the same, with an encampment in Harvard Yard. The university warned that students are prohibited from blocking pedestrian walkways or access to building entrances and that students could face disciplinary action.
So far, Boston police have not decided to confront students at Emerson College. No arrests have been made.
Israeli Americans positioned themselves across the street in the hope that police would take action.
“There’s a residential building there and a lot of people I know had to move to hotels to escape the noise,” Tyler Gelman said.
They are frustrated by what they say is an ill-informed message hoping for peace on campus.
“They are asking Emerson to divest,” Gelman said. “It’s a lot of ‘we want these things,’ but Emerson can’t provide these things.”
