Dozens peacefully gathered last week on Thursday May 2nd outside VCU’s James Branch Cabell Library to share personal testimonies regarding the events that transpired on Monday April 29th when VCU deployed police in riot gear on a peaceful pro-Palestinian protestn and encampment.
Speaking in slide 2: Speaking slide Sereen Haddad, a VCU sophomore , whose right arm was in a sling and spoke with a hoarse voice, attributed these conditions to the actions of the police on the night of April 29th. She recounted being thrown to the ground by officers who twisted her arm behind her back, in addition to being tear-gassed. Haddad, who is Palestinian, shared with reporters that she has lost many family members to Israeli attacks against Palestinians in Gaza.
During her remarks, Haddad criticized the school for justifying their militarized police force against college students. She described it as a “repulsive response” and “one of political repression.” In addition to calls for VCU to disclose and divest from investments with ties to Israel, Haddad called for VCU President Michael Rao’s resignation.
In closing, she reminded the crowd that the encampments were not meant to draw attention away from Gaza but towards it.
Speaking in slide 4: Selma, a VCU junior, who has been involved in VCU’s Presidential Student Ambassador Program since early in her schooling, announced her intention to withdraw from her position following Monday’s events.
“I can no longer align myself with an administration that is complicit to genocide, and willing to brutalize students like myself who oppose apartheid and demand divestment.”
Selma also advocated for the defense of pro-Palestinian speech and activism on VCU campuses, emphasizing the need to protect these students and their right to protest.
Zahra Jalajel, a junior at VCU, reflecting on the events of April 29, Jalajel shared that they made her feel unsafe at VCU, where she pays significant amount in tuition, only to face what she described as “brutalization” of her and her peers.
Images taken on assignment with Richmond Free Press| May 9-11 2024 Issue - A1, A4
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