As more than 50 colleges and universities grapple with pro-Palestine protests and encampments, many campus administrators are meeting with demonstration leaders in attempts to reach agreements so the protests can come to a peaceful conclusion.
The pro-Palestine protesters are calling for their schools to divest from organizations and companies they believe are helping Israel conduct the war in Gaza.
In Chicago, Northwestern University and student organizers announced late Monday that they have come to an agreement that will curb protest activity in exchange for a new advisory committee on university investments and other commitments, reports the Associated Press. On Tuesday, the campus location where the protests had taken place was mostly silent, with only two tents remaining, as well as some folding chairs and water bottles.
Some Supporters of Palestine and Israel Oppose the Agreements
However, not everyone is pleased with the arrangement. Some of the pro-Palestine protesters condemned the agreement because it didn’t stick to their original demands. Meanwhile, some Israel supporters said Northwestern was “cowardly” for giving into the demonstrators.
Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island has also reached an agreement with students protesting the war in Gaza, reports AFP. On Tuesday, the students agreed to remove their encampments in exchange for the school agreeing to consider divesting from Israel.
Later this month, five students will meet with five members of the Corporation of Brown University to discuss how the school’s endowment can divest from “companies enabling and profiting from the genocide in Gaza.” The board will then vote on the proposal in October.