Faculty Members at UCLA Join Pro-Palestinian Protests, Face Arrest Alongside Students
In a show of solidarity with students participating in pro-Palestinian protests, several faculty members at the University of California, Los Angeles, volunteered to join the students in shifts around the clock at their encampment on campus. The faculty members, including Graeme Blair, an associate professor of political science, linked arms with students during a police crackdown on the protests, allowing themselves to be arrested.
This act of support from a small fraction of faculty members at UCLA and other universities highlights the emotional and logistical backing provided to the protesters. Some faculty members have formal ties to Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine, while others see a moral obligation to protect the free speech and welfare of their students.
The issue has caused division among the faculties at these universities, with some accusing the activist professors of romanticizing the demonstrations, which have disrupted campus life. However, others, like history professor Stephanie McCurry at Columbia University, believe in the students’ right to protest and have actively supported them.
Faculty members at Columbia University have visited the encampment, delivered food and water, incorporated the protests into their academic lessons, and stood guard outside the perimeter to prevent authorities from evicting the students. The faculty members may not necessarily agree with the students’ views on Gaza, but they believe in their right to protest.
The involvement of faculty members in the campus protests has sparked comparisons to the antiwar protests of the Vietnam era. Some, like astronomy professor James Applegate, believe the faculty members are trying to relive past movements without intending to engage in meaningful dialogue.
At UCLA, members of Faculty for Justice in Palestine have helped negotiate with the administration and received training in de-escalating conflict. The crisis at UCLA came to a head when protesters learned that the administration planned to shut down their encampment, leading to the arrest of about 200 protesters and 10 faculty members.
The consequences of their arrests remain uncertain, particularly for lecturers and assistant professors without the protections of tenure. The involvement of faculty members in the protests underscores the complex dynamics at play on college campuses during times of social and political unrest.
