BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Pro-Palestinian protesters camped out in Dunn Meadow have begun the second week of their demonstration to force Indiana University to divest its investments in Israel and the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center for its defense industry research and contracts.
Meanwhile, supporters of Israel conducted their first campus rally at Showalter Fountain.
”People have joined the camp and the camp has expanded over time to now there’s a medical tent, an art station, a library, a front office, there’s even a theater to screen movies in,” said Bryce Green, an Indianapolis graduate student enrolled in the IU Informatics studies program. ”We’ve managed to get the faculty to rally to our side, a significant number of staff and students have roused from their slumber and are willing to fight for what’s right.”
At 1 p.m., a handful of students protested on the steps of the Bryan Hall Administration Building before marching across campus to chant in favor of divestiture and the dismissal of IU President Pamela Whitten at the front door of her on-campus residence.
”We plan on staying until our demands are met and if people go home there are still plenty of students and community members and supporters who are here over the summer and will support the encampment until our demands are met,” said Green, as the IU campus prepares for Graduate Commencement Friday and other students pack up to depart for home. ”People are asking serious questions, people who weren’t asking them a week ago, so, I consider that a major success.”
An hour later after the march to the President’s Residence, IU faculty and staff held their own rally near the front steps of the Indiana University Auditorium, a short walk down 7th Street from the Dunn Meadow encampment, to “condemn the glorification of Hamas.”
”We’re here to support Israel, we’re here to support the students and we feel there is no room for any type of intimidation on college campuses and that’s what the Jewish students are feeling,” said Rabbi Morris Zimbalist. ”This is not a war that is going on against Palestinians by Israel. This is a war against Hamas.”
Scott Grossman had arrived on the IU campus to pick up his daughter and return her to Denver after final exams.
”It's quite frustrating to hear all of these chants and lies that are being spewed about,” said Grossman. ”There have been times when she has been very scared and concerned of things. She was heading to a final the other day and there were protests that were blocking the streets.”
While there have been chants of “Intifada!” and “Israel is a Zionist racist state that needs to be destroyed!” from the Dunn Meadow encampment, similarly, Green said the campers have been peaceful and on the end of insults and invective themselves.
”There have been people from the other side who have come in and talked to some of our people in a respectful way and sometimes they have productive discussions but overwhelmingly the interaction that we’ve had with the other side has been verbal and even sexual harassment from them,” Green said from the public sidewalk above the Meadow as his recent arrest and five-year ban from the campus prohibits him from stepping onto University property. ”We’re not expecting the other side to be nice because they’re fighting for a cause that is genocidal. They’re fighting for the continued war against the people of Gaza and we can’t expect much compassion from a people who want to see an entire nation destroyed.”
Rabbi Zimbalist said that while he hasn’t heard any of the inflammatory language from the pro-Palestinian encampment in Dunn Meadow, he doubts their rationale for protesting against Israel.
”Those who say they are here to support the Palestinians, in my opinion, are actually hurting the Palestinians because by default they are supporting Hamas and Hamas is oppressing the Palestinians, the Israelis and anyone who gets in their way,” he said. ”I think this is radicalized social justice for a cause that many of these students don’t understand.”
IU police will continue to monitor the Meadow encampment and marches across campus while securing Friday’s commencement ceremonies.
Authorities also continue to observe a smaller more sedated encampment on the campus of IU Indy which has remained low-key but could grow as other campus protests across the nation have heated up and students in Bloomington scatter for the summer.