Students, faculty, and community members gathered on Nov. 21 across the Department of Public Safety to protest the suspension and arrest of four students in relation to the ‘wanted’ posters.
Students spoke about their dissatisfaction with the University’s decision to arrest students and subsequent questioning of the students.
The majority of the protest stayed on public property, but after reaching the interfaith chapel, some students crossed Eastman Quad heading to Wilson Commons before ending at Wallis Hall again.
Among the professors was Kristin Doughty, associate professor of anthropology and Director of Campus and Community Engagement, and Joshua Dubler, associate professor of religion.
“I would love to interrupt the process in which there will be future court dates,” Doughty said. “I have an awful lot of thoughts of alternatives to subjecting our students to a night in jail and to a process where they could end up in prison.”
Dubler attended the four students’ arraignments on Nov. 20 before showing up at the protest the next day and presenting a prepared speech.
“In whipping up and submitting to the frenzy, the University has failed you. We owe you so much better. Rather than a carceral process, why not a restorative process?” Dubler asked. “I call on the University to urge the county to drop the criminal charges against our students and to defer whatever disciplinary proceedings so that our students are afforded the opportunity to finish out the semester.”
Attending students had thoughts as well.
Senior Fin Tran, an international student from Vietnam, attended the protest with senior Areej Abid. Tran explained that this was the first Israel-Palestine protest he had attended and he wanted to see the students’ power. Abid agreed.
“I am here today because I think that the four students need representation and support to be shown at this time,” Abid said.
Rochester community members, including members of the Crisis Response for Palestine and Health Care Workers for Palestine, were present at the protest.
Kim Nelson, a community member, is part of the collective Crisis Response for Palestine that has been protesting on the corner of Mount Hope Avenue and Elmwood Avenue every Tuesday for the last 16 weeks. Nelson and her dog Lila attended the protest across from the DPS building to support the students.
“I think that they were very brave and did what they thought was right,” Nelson explained. “And I think it’s extremely hard to counter the huge force of oppression that is going on, and so I absolutely support it.”
Emily Kimmel, another community member, attended the protest with her children, disheartened by the actions the University has taken against the students.
“Now that there are children being charged with serious crimes, we’re trying to hold the powers that be accountable,” Kimmel said. “I think it’s really important to lend our voices to protect the babies and protect the children. We need these brave voices. We need these brave kids.”
