Between April 29 and May 1, 2024, university police arrested 13 people, including five students, two former students, and one university employee, at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of South Florida (USF). In addition, USF suspended one student, expelled another, and suspended Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the student group that organized the protest.
On the afternoon of April 29, Tampa Bay SDS organized a tent encampment on the lawn at the University of South Florida. The group demanded that the university disclose its financial investments, divest from businesses associated with Israeli military actions, and called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Around 80 people, including students and other community members, joined the protest that day. As the group tried to set up the encampment, USF police arrived and arrested three people, including one student, one employee, and one individual who was not affiliated with the university. The university announced that the Tampa Bay SDS would be temporarily suspended for organizing the protest and causing disruption on campus.
On April 30, protests continued and around 75 to 100 protesters, including students and some unaffiliated with the university, joined the demonstrations. Police warned protesters to disperse by 5 p.m., but shortly after, officers deployed tear gas towards the crowd. USF officials alleged that some participants had expressed their intention to use weapons and resist staff and law enforcement. During this process, the police arrested ten people, including four current students and two former students, for unlawful assembly and failure to comply with directions.
On June 9, the Tampa Bay SDS announced on their Instagram page that the USF had suspended an international student, Joseph Charry, for one year, and expelled senior student, Victoria Hinckle. Both Charry and Hinckle were leaders of the encampment but were not among those arrested between April 20-30. Tampa Bay SDS emphasized that Charry’s suspension puts his student visa at risk.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about the use of teargas to disperse students exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association–conduct that is expressly protected by international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Scholars at Risk is also concerned about the arrest, suspension, and expulsion of students for their exercise of those same rights. State authorities have a responsibility to refrain from restricting the nonviolent exercise of such rights. In addition, while university authorities have an obligation to prevent disruptions that hinder the functioning of higher education, they must ensure transparency, fairness, and proportionality in disciplinary actions. Such actions, beyond harming the immediate victim, have a chilling effect on academic freedom and undermine democratic society generally.
Sources:
https://www.cltampa.com/tampa/photos-tampa-pro-palestinian-activists-arrested-at-the-university-of-south-florida/Slideshow/17718102/17718355
https://www.tampabay.com/news/2024/04/29/usf-student-protesters-detained-pro-palestinian-campus-rally/
https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/not-a-daycare-university-of-florida-explains-arrests-of-anti-israel-protesters-university-of-south-florida-young-democratic-socialists-of-america-tampa-gainesville-sunshine-state-israeli-palestine-gaza-war-ceasefire-columbia
https://www.usforacle.com/2024/04/30/pro-palestine-encampment-protest-at-usf-broken-up-by-tear-gas/
https://www.fox13news.com/news/more-usf-protesters-taken-into-custody-after-tear-gas-used-to-disperse-rally
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIOkECYixCw
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2024/05/01/10-arrested-after-pro-palestine-rioters-clash-with-usf-police-at-tampa-campus/
https://www.usf.edu/news/2024/april-30-2024-update-on-a-protest-at-usf.aspx
https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/4-usf-students-among-10-arrested-at-pro-palestine-protest/
https://www.wusf.org/show/florida-matters/2024-05-07/pro-palestinian-protests-history-protests-usf-tampa
https://www.jewishtampa.com/jcrc/usf-protests-update
https://www.wusf.org/2024-05-01/pro-palestinian-group-plans-off-campus-protest-today
https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/pro-palestinian-protestors-usf-tampa/67-34614a4e-4c27-4f44-a8d4-9580ffa05b86
https://www.fox13news.com/news/a-lot-of-uncertainty-usf-graduation-weekend-comes-on-the-heels-of-pro-palestinian-protests
https://www.wusf.org/university-beat/2024-06-28/usf-doubles-down-on-suspension-and-expulsion-of-pro-palestinian-student-protestors
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8AVFlHxjVQ/?img_index=5
https://www.usforacle.com/2024/06/18/usf-student-protesters-suspended-and-expelled-after-april-demonstrations/
https://fightbacknews.org/tag:politicalrepression