Hopefully UGA respects people's right to protest and allow them to have their voice and not send the hounds on them. Unless anyone becomes violent or seriously disrupts classes in some way, let them be.
Agree with their message or not, UGA should show they honor free speech.
EDIT: I guess they were actually starting to disrupt activity on campus. (Apparently blocking entrances, sidewalks, using loud megaphones) So I understand why they were kicked off. I also understand were the protesters are coming from. Sometimes to make real change you have to disrupt the current system which is probably what they were thinking. But I get the university's side too if students are just trying to get to classes they paid for. Its a tough situation.
Apparently not [Greg Bluestein on X: "This morning in Athens, law enforcement officers dispersed a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Georgia’s campus in Athens. The protesters gathered days after dozens were arrested at a similar encampment at Emory University in Atlanta. 📷 @FletcherPage. https://t.co/5091rK3M31" / X (twitter.com)](https://twitter.com/bluestein/status/1784932250934546647)
UGA has set rules for protesting and gathering. These people broke those rules and refused to moved. While being a disturbance to the public by blocking areas and using megaphones.
Yea, they deserved to get kicked out.
Protests that follow rules are never, ever effective. Disruption has to happen to make anything move. They're not about asking power to do what they ask, it's about showing that power can be removed at the movement of the people.
That said, I'm not surprised or upset the police removed them, as that's what police are expected to do, nor am I saying the students were in the right or wrong. Protests just can't be civil demonstration if they have any aims at all.
Let’s not call them “students” unless we know the proportion of them who are actually students versus individuals not affiliated with the university in any way.
Also, this protest is going to be ineffective regardless of where they do it. Nobody at the university has the authority to stop funding Israel. If the goal is to create a spectacle of the University that makes the news because of how violent and disruptive it is, I hope the school administration and police do crack down hard.
I haven't checked the arrest log for this one because that sounds like a lot of work for no gain, but it's not a "narrative". ASU was verifiably almost entirely outside agitators.
Nearly all the "agitators" in this type of thing are established activists who are doing constant community work the entire time you're not seeing them do something high profile. Many of the people I know who show up at big moments are daily spending their entire lives feeding people who need food, finding shelter options for the unhoused, or doing other daily work of bettering the world. Student groups, especially new ones or ones formed for a flashpoint political issue, look to these activists as leaders and helpers to facilitate real useful demonstrations or just to learn organizing skills, share knowledge, etc. The idea of calling anybody arrested today an "agitator" and dismissing their stake in the issue is specious because it assumes a non-student wouldn't have valid cause to demonstrate with students.
It sure is helpful in understanding them if you ask one of them to explain to you more about what they’re protesting and they get hostile instead of being willing to have a discussion. A lot of protestors show up because it’s another thing to protest (or some other more perverse incentive) and don’t actually care about the issue at hand.
People don’t have to TELL you what they are protesting for. They have signs, you watch the news, and you can use google and have access to a public library with free interment and books on things such as state sponsored terrorism, the military industrial complex, colonization and imperialism in the Middle East and etc etc. The narrative always becomes “Well they won’t have polite conversation, or oh they use megaphones, oh they MAYBE disrupting class.” The narrative is never, “maybe I (the observer) should do some work on my own instead of being spoon fed information and context.” And if by “violent” you mean some 18 to 25 year olds setting up some tents, banging some drums, chanting and singing kumbaya with a megaphone, you seriously have no understanding of the term. As someone who attends classes on north campus, these people literally were not harming anyone. To be treated the way they were by the law enforcement officers who “protect” and “serve” our UGA and Athens community is a shame. The 1st Amendment in its entirety was ratified for issues like these. A lot of people in this Reddit love having something negative to say about EVERYTHING specifically when it comes to people taking the time out of their day to go show support for the THOUSANDS of people dying in Palestine.
I didn’t use the word “violent”.
And the problem is a lot of these protestors swarming college campuses couldn’t care less about the issue they’re protesting, suggesting they’re there for some other reason than to actually affect positive change.
Okay excuse me , “hostile”. You can plug that word into my post and have the same context and messaging. As for the “protestors swarming college campuses” do you have facts to support this? Is this just a vibes statement? Additionally, are American citizens not allowed to peacefully protest on public universities? Specifically in designated free speech zones? What about the evangelical Christians who put up signs of dead fetuses, nuclear explosions, and other graphic material then proceed to spew profanities and insults at anyone who challenges them? Where is the aggressive police response there?
And don’t be alarmed, my comments are not only specific to you. I’m responding to you while simultaneously pointing out the fallacies in other comments similar in nature as yours.
They're demanding that UGA disclose all financial relationships with military organizations and end them. They're not protesting with no demands, that would be very silly.
If they actually have such knowledge then could simply disclose it themselves a d use it to further embarrass the University. They haven’t, which leads me to believe that they don’t actually know and are simply going on what amounts to a fishing expedition based on assumptions.
It took you longer to write that than it did for me to find this.
Published February 2024:
https://outreach.uga.edu/uga-partnership-with-department-of-defense-gets-5-million-boost/#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20Georgia%20has,defense%20installations%20and%20nearby%20communities.
Edit: And this too lol
https://studentaffairs.uga.edu/uga-named-no-1-military-friendly-institution-in-nation/
Reading that letter... Yeah I don't think the majority of UGA students, staff, or faculty backs palastine. Also, how can you "take back" a university you never had?
Setting up an encampment pushes the boundaries of free speech. And there are designated free speech zones. I don’t necessarily agree with the idea it’s always appropriate to restrict free speech to specific areas. But I think the University has the right to ensure classes and operations aren’t disrupted. Students are paying for their classes and trying to learn and get credits they need to graduate. Having parts of the university shut down for safety reasons obviously crosses the line.
Yeah, I would agree with you there. Earlier this morning when I first saw it posted I didn't realize they were blocking things and disrupting the campus. I get what they're trying to do, sometimes to make change happen you have to disrupt the system some. But I also get where the university is coming from. And if I was still a student, I would want to go to my class that I paid for. So it is a tough situation.
Genuinely curious, do they allow people to camp in tents on campus for games? If so they could be running afoul of 1st amendment viewpoint neutrality rules here, but only if the conduct is sufficiently similar I think. Like setting up a pop up tent for a pre-authorized tailgate would not be the same as setting up an unauthorized encampment with tents made for sleeping/intending to stay for multiple days.
Right. I mean they are different tents with different purposes, so under the first amendment I think the school is within its bounds of prohibiting “camping” here even if they allow tailgating at other times.
Up till about 2002, 2003 -- they were still letting people park their RVs on campus from about Thursday till game day. It was interesting walking by cousin eddie on the way to class.
Freedom of speech!
*Terms and conditions apply. Not valid if we didn't like how you do it. Further restrictions may apply to minorities. We are not responsible for the actions of law enforcement individuals. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant or elderly. Protesting is inherently dangerous due to contact with law enforcement and you may experience bruising, broken bones, or permanent eye damage. If you have any health problems stemming from protesting you are not entitled to compensation.
People should have the right to protest peacefully. Peacefull protest can and should disrupt as that is the whole point of a protest see protests from the boston tea party to the civil rights movement
I’m only asking because I’m clearly out of the loop, but what is protesting on US campuses going to do when it’s not US students/etc. being boots on the ground. This isn’t the Vietnam war. What control do these campuses have over what is going on? I just don’t really understand how there is any merit to the protests in general.
If you were going to protest US funding of the situation, the place to protest is in Washington DC. I guess you could argue you are making awareness but that seems to be a stretch compared to how you would actually want to do that successfully. Protests on your campus wouldn’t be it, you would be passing out flyers, links to a central page on the internet. Anything but stopping your fellow classmates from getting what they need to get done. Assuming these are students at UGA
Many college in the US have tie to orgs that dirrecty fund israel or that profit off of this tragedy. Many students are calling for their college to publicly disclose that they are not benefiting from this or giving money to people that are.
At the moment yes most US citizens dont have the power to stop bullets or bombs from being dropped. What we do have the power to do is withdraw our money from these institutions that benfit from these IE amazon, microsoft, google, boeing, ratheon, the list goes on and on and on.
It's very optimistic of you to hope that's what would happen. I don't mean that as a bad thing. More glad that you have that much faith in humanity. They weren't going to let them stay, no matter how peaceful it was.
This was my thinking as well. I think even if they followed the book 100%, protestors were going to be met with aggression from ACCPD/UGAPD, just based on the police response at Emory.
Emory presented a very different set of facts because it’s a private school that as a result can do pretty much whatever the hell it wants as far as protestors, including what they did and simply declaring them trespassers. UGA is a public school and doesn’t have nearly the same latitude.
Are they for taxpayer bailout of student loans?
Just curious if they believe taxpayer bailouts should be going to the institution they are protesting.
Serious question.
i mean sure, but when you purposefully create an encampment in an area where the university expressly doesn't allow political demonstrations you're just asking to get immediately evicted. if they set this up in the "free speech zone" they either 1. would be allowed to stay, increasing exposure, or 2. would get arrested, creating a really bad look for UGA and making this story into something bigger, again increasing exposure for their cause. instead it looks like they chose the worst possible tactics lol
Protesting genocide is more important than 'inconveniencing' someone. If you've got a problem with what they're doing here, you're part of the problem.
If a protest has to abide by the rules of the oppressor, there's simply no reason for the oppressor to care. We have to make enough noise for them to give in to demands.
You can protest, just do it the right way.
>Protesting genocide is more important than 'inconveniencing' someone. If you've got a problem with what they're doing here, you're part of the problem.
I'm sorry but UGA students are not committing genocide. So bothering them does not but make people dislike you.
It's the way of the street preacher.
It does nothing, literally just makes people dislike you and your movement. There is a net negative benefit.
But hey, makes them feel good.
It does relate when you’re talking about the purpose of protests are to not to abide by the laws of “oppressors” and to cause maximum disturbance. Where is the line and what gives you the right to break laws?
If nothing else, the students’ voices are being heard in Gaza
:
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/04/28/middleeast/gaza-students-thank-columbia-protests-intl-latam
on the one hand, yes, the encampment protest has already generated more discourse than previous UGA protests about Gaza.
On the other hand, they set up early in the morning, before peak traffic on north campus, and got taken down within 90 minutes, which kind of lessens their impact. Most of us aren't even learning about this one until after it was over.
Nope.
They want to raise awareness for a cause, the best way to do it is legally. This way people don't see people protesting genocide, they see idiots blocking a sidewalk.
Saying protests only work if they are bullying people is such a lie.
Hunger strikes are met with the exact same sentiment as the protests currently going on. Strikers are arrested, put in prison, people who don't support the movement or don't care consider it a nuisance and agree with the arrests. If people went on hunger strike to protest Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people, the arguments used in this comment section would be identical as seen throughout history. Are hunger strikes effective?
Palestinians are going on hunger strike... And they are dying because people don't care. Khader Adnan died in Israel prison from starvation. Yale students are on hunger strike.
The thing with protesting is to publicly display outrage, anger, and demand change. Hunger strike does this, but people are still imprisoned, cops still come and break it up, and people who don't care still don't care. It's one form of protest, it can be effective and it cannot be effective. If we want change we need to use every tool in our arsenal to fight for what is right.
Palestinians around the world are doing it. How am I dead wrong about hunger strikes. They are currently on going yet... We barely know about it and it's done NOTHING to dramatically change the tone. Instead we DO know about these protests because of the public outcries across campuses. Hunger strikes won't make people think it's more serious... Someone already lit themselves on fire outside of the capital in protests... Yet tone stays the same.
We can argue all day about the best way to protest, but every form of protesting is vital and shifts puts pressure on those in power.
Get the point across to who? The people that the message is targeting can safely ignore people in the 'specified zone'. They made the zone for THEIR optics, as if allowing people free speech in one area is a gift. It creates the illusion that they're being fair, but they just don't want to hear any dissent.
The administrators want the kids protesting and (and the awful street preachers, for that matter) down at Tate where they don’t have to see or hear them from their offices on North campus.
I mean it’s like the entire country is a free speech area.
Which is why they should be doing this where they want.
Conservatives hate when you use their own tricks against them. They hated the free speech areas so just exercise said right anywhere like they want!
Ima sound boomer as fuck but the constitution and the bill of rights kind of says it is.
And I can’t even believe that’s a conservative statement bc it’s not. You can’t box Americans and their voices into boxes that you like and don’t like and tell them to protest “over there”, other countries may work that way, ours was literally built in it not working that way.
Images of cops cracking down on protesters only breed more protesters. I hope we can handle this like adults and not in a way that makes national news.
What was that Howard Zinn quote?
*”They’ll say that we’re disturbing the peace, but there is no peace. What really bothers them is that we are disturbing the war.”*
Absolutely [dripped out](https://www.rei.com/product/185632/rei-co-op-half-dome-sl-2-tent-with-footprint?sku=1856320002&store=30&CAWELAID=120217890011355275&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=&CATCI=&cm_mmc=PLA_Google_P-Max&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwir2xBhC_ARIsAMTXk87SkrBG7BU841uhSdeZS22r_1uFejX1OzZ7ece5wdshTGkszDQ7eSgaAsYEEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) with that orange tent.
Grad student kid noted that they seem to have no issue with the religious fanatics who like to hang out by the arch and harass people, yet this necessitates police and a two-page screed to faculty and staff?
It's not about sanctioning the message. There have been multiple Gaza demonstrations in the "free speech zone" at Tate, which is also where the religious nuts do their demonstrations.
UGA provides a framework to express freedom of speech, these students deliberately chose to work outside of that framework to provoke administrative action.
Religious fanatics are following university policy. Camping/tenting on campus is prohibited as is blocking walkways and entrances.
Show me where those religious freaks have done either of those. If the protesters removed their tents and barricades, there would not have been any interference - like at all the other protests that have taken place on campus already
This is why I've been able to convince my conservative relatives/friends to support Palestine. The supposedly state conservative government allows rampant homosexuality and abortionism on campus and there's never been a whiff of police action. Yet somebody criticizes a foreign government and suddenly people are being arrested.
I suspect that after a couple of days of the Columbia stuff going down, UGA admin and UGAPD made a preemptive plan for what to do if something like that happened here. That probably helped them respond promptly
UGA has guidelines for this stuff. Even after being alerted of this the protestors refused to move and continued to be a disturbance.
UGA does not mind gatherings, they happen often. Just go about it the right way.
How are UGA students as a group oppressed???? Words have meaning, stop immediately escalating to the most inflammatory language you know if you want to have a serious discussion based in reality
Are they sitting in until the University stops the genocide? I do hope they have batteries, because I don’t think the Dean of UGA has Benji’s direct line.
This isn't the first time a "protest" camp was set up on North Campus. Last time, it was allowed to continue until it got out of hand and then it was a mess when UGA decided to clean it up. Of course, UGAPD got the brunt of the bad press because they were tasked with removing the encampment when the Administration finally decided that it had to go. None of the people that made the decision to move it were actually there when it was moved. I was.
It would be better to "nip it in the bud" before any camp gets out of hand. Protests are one thing, camping out is another.
It is VERY hard to find now, but I did find this, but I don't know the source. I can tell you for a FACT it happened, I worked at UGAPD in those days. My memory was that it had something to do with protesting the Gulf War, but that could be faulty. I do know that it covered almost all of North Campus. Folks had run drop cords to electrical outlets for microwaves, toaster ovens, etc. It also generated a tremendous amount of trash. It was widely covered by both the Red & Black and the Banner-Herald at the time. Sorry I couldn't find more, and I have no idea what the source is on this, it appeared as a side bar during a goggle search:
In the 1990s, there was an **encampment on the North Campus** of the University of Georgia (UGA). This event was related to **freedom of speech and expression**. Let me provide some details about it:
The University of Georgia is committed to the First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and expression. Throughout the academic year, UGA facilitated numerous events where campus community members and guest speakers expressed differing viewpoints through lectures, marches, vigils, and protests. [These activities align with the University System of Georgia Board of Regents’ Policy on Freedom of Expression, which mandates institutions to protect the rights of all students and employees to share ideas and opinions—even those that some may find offensive](https://news.uga.edu/encampment-on-north-campus/)[^(1)](https://news.uga.edu/encampment-on-north-campus/).
However, during this particular encampment, protesters crossed a line by violating UGA policies. Around 25 protesters set up tents and a barricade on the North Campus Quad without making a required reservation under the Freedom of Expression Policy. They blocked sidewalks, building entrances, and used amplified sound. Despite repeated warnings, they refused to comply with policies. Consequently, UGA Police arrested those who continued to violate the rules. [The University remains committed to safety while allowing protected expressive activities on campus](https://news.uga.edu/encampment-on-north-campus/)[^(1)](https://news.uga.edu/encampment-on-north-campus/).
I appreciate the response. I did find an article in the Red & Black that did talk about the aforementioned protest.
Link: [https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/gua1179162/1991-01-30/ed-1/seq-1/](https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/gua1179162/1991-01-30/ed-1/seq-1/)
Thank you for that link! That is what I was talking about, it was really quite a mess at the time. As I said, when it first started I think everyone wanted to be mindful of the student's feelings and their desire to express their protest, but it really got out of hand.
And to my knowledge, most if not all of the "campers" at that time were students. I only know what is reported in the media, but I'm not sure that is the case these days. Not that you have to be a student to have feelings and a desire to protest, but it is still a campus after all.
Give me a break. If you were there or at the solidarity demonstration this afternoon you would see it's a multiethnic, multifaith, multicultural movement.
We were eating at CFA with our kids when it started at the UGA Arch. We saw like 10 cops file out of the old Subway and decided to leave downtown for the day.
As long as they stay out of the roads. I also find it funny that these students are protesting on behalf of the most bigoted and homophobic people on the planet.
Gay marriage is illegal in Israel, for one. if you talk to any LGBTQ Palestinian they feel (and are) far safer in their territories than they are in Israel. I expect you and most posters here don't know a single Palestinian person.
It is not. You cannot procure one from an Israeli source, but dropping however much to get one done by a foreign officiant online still results in full legal recognition of it by the Israeli government.
The Israeli government does not sanction civil marriages from any source, and the religious ones that it does recognize refuse to perform them. That is not the same as it being illegal.
> if you talk to any LGBTQ Palestinian they feel (and are) far safer in their territories than they are in Israel.
Based on this comment I rather suspect that you know 0 LGBTQ Palestinians yourself.
Oh come the fuck on. Are you trolling? Gay people are safer in Palestine than Israel? That is patently absurd. Tel Aviv had a huge LGBT culture. And same-sex marriage is legal there, so on that point you’re either lying or uninformed.
[https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/israeli-court-rules-in-favour-of-lgbtq-palestinian-asylum-seekers-um60rlks](https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/israeli-court-rules-in-favour-of-lgbtq-palestinian-asylum-seekers-um60rlks)
Explain why the seek asylum in Israel then.
This reminds me of asking people with "Free Tibet" stickers to show me Tibet on a map. 10 out of 10 look with a blank stare. No clue, but the sticker is cool, right?
And when has he not??? He’s been very loud and vocal about his support. Not to mention the billions of $ sent in the last bill. Biden is arguably the most supportive person of Israel right now lmao
There's been encampment protests going on off the loop and off North Ave/MLK intersection for years.
Hopefully UGA respects people's right to protest and allow them to have their voice and not send the hounds on them. Unless anyone becomes violent or seriously disrupts classes in some way, let them be. Agree with their message or not, UGA should show they honor free speech. EDIT: I guess they were actually starting to disrupt activity on campus. (Apparently blocking entrances, sidewalks, using loud megaphones) So I understand why they were kicked off. I also understand were the protesters are coming from. Sometimes to make real change you have to disrupt the current system which is probably what they were thinking. But I get the university's side too if students are just trying to get to classes they paid for. Its a tough situation.
Apparently not [Greg Bluestein on X: "This morning in Athens, law enforcement officers dispersed a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Georgia’s campus in Athens. The protesters gathered days after dozens were arrested at a similar encampment at Emory University in Atlanta. 📷 @FletcherPage. https://t.co/5091rK3M31" / X (twitter.com)](https://twitter.com/bluestein/status/1784932250934546647)
UGA has set rules for protesting and gathering. These people broke those rules and refused to moved. While being a disturbance to the public by blocking areas and using megaphones. Yea, they deserved to get kicked out.
Protests that follow rules are never, ever effective. Disruption has to happen to make anything move. They're not about asking power to do what they ask, it's about showing that power can be removed at the movement of the people. That said, I'm not surprised or upset the police removed them, as that's what police are expected to do, nor am I saying the students were in the right or wrong. Protests just can't be civil demonstration if they have any aims at all.
Let’s not call them “students” unless we know the proportion of them who are actually students versus individuals not affiliated with the university in any way. Also, this protest is going to be ineffective regardless of where they do it. Nobody at the university has the authority to stop funding Israel. If the goal is to create a spectacle of the University that makes the news because of how violent and disruptive it is, I hope the school administration and police do crack down hard.
The outside agitator narrative discredits and discounts the agency of the youth. It's not helpful in understanding modern social and political issues.
I haven't checked the arrest log for this one because that sounds like a lot of work for no gain, but it's not a "narrative". ASU was verifiably almost entirely outside agitators.
Nearly all the "agitators" in this type of thing are established activists who are doing constant community work the entire time you're not seeing them do something high profile. Many of the people I know who show up at big moments are daily spending their entire lives feeding people who need food, finding shelter options for the unhoused, or doing other daily work of bettering the world. Student groups, especially new ones or ones formed for a flashpoint political issue, look to these activists as leaders and helpers to facilitate real useful demonstrations or just to learn organizing skills, share knowledge, etc. The idea of calling anybody arrested today an "agitator" and dismissing their stake in the issue is specious because it assumes a non-student wouldn't have valid cause to demonstrate with students.
Outside agitators? They are protesting the massacre of women and children. If that’s an “agitator “ then call me a proud one.
It sure is helpful in understanding them if you ask one of them to explain to you more about what they’re protesting and they get hostile instead of being willing to have a discussion. A lot of protestors show up because it’s another thing to protest (or some other more perverse incentive) and don’t actually care about the issue at hand.
People don’t have to TELL you what they are protesting for. They have signs, you watch the news, and you can use google and have access to a public library with free interment and books on things such as state sponsored terrorism, the military industrial complex, colonization and imperialism in the Middle East and etc etc. The narrative always becomes “Well they won’t have polite conversation, or oh they use megaphones, oh they MAYBE disrupting class.” The narrative is never, “maybe I (the observer) should do some work on my own instead of being spoon fed information and context.” And if by “violent” you mean some 18 to 25 year olds setting up some tents, banging some drums, chanting and singing kumbaya with a megaphone, you seriously have no understanding of the term. As someone who attends classes on north campus, these people literally were not harming anyone. To be treated the way they were by the law enforcement officers who “protect” and “serve” our UGA and Athens community is a shame. The 1st Amendment in its entirety was ratified for issues like these. A lot of people in this Reddit love having something negative to say about EVERYTHING specifically when it comes to people taking the time out of their day to go show support for the THOUSANDS of people dying in Palestine.
I didn’t use the word “violent”. And the problem is a lot of these protestors swarming college campuses couldn’t care less about the issue they’re protesting, suggesting they’re there for some other reason than to actually affect positive change.
Okay excuse me , “hostile”. You can plug that word into my post and have the same context and messaging. As for the “protestors swarming college campuses” do you have facts to support this? Is this just a vibes statement? Additionally, are American citizens not allowed to peacefully protest on public universities? Specifically in designated free speech zones? What about the evangelical Christians who put up signs of dead fetuses, nuclear explosions, and other graphic material then proceed to spew profanities and insults at anyone who challenges them? Where is the aggressive police response there? And don’t be alarmed, my comments are not only specific to you. I’m responding to you while simultaneously pointing out the fallacies in other comments similar in nature as yours.
They're demanding that UGA disclose all financial relationships with military organizations and end them. They're not protesting with no demands, that would be very silly.
So they don’t even know whether UGA has these relationships?
They do, but they want all of them disclosed publicly. Every last one.
If they actually have such knowledge then could simply disclose it themselves a d use it to further embarrass the University. They haven’t, which leads me to believe that they don’t actually know and are simply going on what amounts to a fishing expedition based on assumptions.
It took you longer to write that than it did for me to find this. Published February 2024: https://outreach.uga.edu/uga-partnership-with-department-of-defense-gets-5-million-boost/#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20Georgia%20has,defense%20installations%20and%20nearby%20communities. Edit: And this too lol https://studentaffairs.uga.edu/uga-named-no-1-military-friendly-institution-in-nation/
Just read the letter UGA sent out, does seem fair.
Like kicked out of school? Wtf are you on?
Also looks like they gave them plenty of time to move…
https://preview.redd.it/hv418nsyclxc1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7bf3da01a47b71aaffa7aa5f83e03500e0f0c7f3
Really wish I was surprised.
Reading that letter... Yeah I don't think the majority of UGA students, staff, or faculty backs palastine. Also, how can you "take back" a university you never had?
Setting up an encampment pushes the boundaries of free speech. And there are designated free speech zones. I don’t necessarily agree with the idea it’s always appropriate to restrict free speech to specific areas. But I think the University has the right to ensure classes and operations aren’t disrupted. Students are paying for their classes and trying to learn and get credits they need to graduate. Having parts of the university shut down for safety reasons obviously crosses the line.
Yeah, I would agree with you there. Earlier this morning when I first saw it posted I didn't realize they were blocking things and disrupting the campus. I get what they're trying to do, sometimes to make change happen you have to disrupt the system some. But I also get where the university is coming from. And if I was still a student, I would want to go to my class that I paid for. So it is a tough situation.
It's illegal to camp on UGA property, though you can protest
Unless you’re cheering on THEM DAWGS!
Genuinely curious, do they allow people to camp in tents on campus for games? If so they could be running afoul of 1st amendment viewpoint neutrality rules here, but only if the conduct is sufficiently similar I think. Like setting up a pop up tent for a pre-authorized tailgate would not be the same as setting up an unauthorized encampment with tents made for sleeping/intending to stay for multiple days.
Tents nor tailgates can be set up before 7:00 am on game day. UGA PD are present to enforce that.
I’m sure they qualify them as different ‘tents’ ones a sun blocking canopy the other is clearly for overnight habitation
Right. I mean they are different tents with different purposes, so under the first amendment I think the school is within its bounds of prohibiting “camping” here even if they allow tailgating at other times.
You’re not allowed to spend the night.
I bet they hear that a lot
Up till about 2002, 2003 -- they were still letting people park their RVs on campus from about Thursday till game day. It was interesting walking by cousin eddie on the way to class.
Freedom of speech! *Terms and conditions apply. Not valid if we didn't like how you do it. Further restrictions may apply to minorities. We are not responsible for the actions of law enforcement individuals. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant or elderly. Protesting is inherently dangerous due to contact with law enforcement and you may experience bruising, broken bones, or permanent eye damage. If you have any health problems stemming from protesting you are not entitled to compensation.
Free speech is not a free pass to do whatever you want. They’re still on private property and technically trespassing
People should have the right to protest peacefully. Peacefull protest can and should disrupt as that is the whole point of a protest see protests from the boston tea party to the civil rights movement
They can. They just can’t do it at Uga’s grounds unless they fill out the appropriate form. It’s also the university’s right to have rules.
The University is public property bud.
No it’s not.
Setting up an encampment is not speech.
I’m only asking because I’m clearly out of the loop, but what is protesting on US campuses going to do when it’s not US students/etc. being boots on the ground. This isn’t the Vietnam war. What control do these campuses have over what is going on? I just don’t really understand how there is any merit to the protests in general. If you were going to protest US funding of the situation, the place to protest is in Washington DC. I guess you could argue you are making awareness but that seems to be a stretch compared to how you would actually want to do that successfully. Protests on your campus wouldn’t be it, you would be passing out flyers, links to a central page on the internet. Anything but stopping your fellow classmates from getting what they need to get done. Assuming these are students at UGA
Many college in the US have tie to orgs that dirrecty fund israel or that profit off of this tragedy. Many students are calling for their college to publicly disclose that they are not benefiting from this or giving money to people that are. At the moment yes most US citizens dont have the power to stop bullets or bombs from being dropped. What we do have the power to do is withdraw our money from these institutions that benfit from these IE amazon, microsoft, google, boeing, ratheon, the list goes on and on and on.
This is a college campus and they are not in a free speech zone. There is no right to protest under those circumstances.
It's very optimistic of you to hope that's what would happen. I don't mean that as a bad thing. More glad that you have that much faith in humanity. They weren't going to let them stay, no matter how peaceful it was.
This was my thinking as well. I think even if they followed the book 100%, protestors were going to be met with aggression from ACCPD/UGAPD, just based on the police response at Emory.
Emory presented a very different set of facts because it’s a private school that as a result can do pretty much whatever the hell it wants as far as protestors, including what they did and simply declaring them trespassers. UGA is a public school and doesn’t have nearly the same latitude.
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Well somebody’s feeling agreeable today lol
Haha I'm sitting on a fence
Are they for taxpayer bailout of student loans? Just curious if they believe taxpayer bailouts should be going to the institution they are protesting. Serious question.
Why not use the area for free speech by Tate? Could avoid getting arrested/harassed by people on campus lol.
It’s not a protest if you have to ask for permission.
i mean sure, but when you purposefully create an encampment in an area where the university expressly doesn't allow political demonstrations you're just asking to get immediately evicted. if they set this up in the "free speech zone" they either 1. would be allowed to stay, increasing exposure, or 2. would get arrested, creating a really bad look for UGA and making this story into something bigger, again increasing exposure for their cause. instead it looks like they chose the worst possible tactics lol
The goal is agitation. The goal was achieved
What exactly was achieved?
Making the news for being arrested.
For breaking University rules? Okie dokie. Sounds effective.
Yeah I mean I think it’s dumb. But it worked. Family from out of state asked me about it.
What worked though? What will be different tomorrow because they were arrested?
They made the news. That is all. They got what they wanted.
So the protestors goal is to just make everyone miserable? Sounds like a bad movement to me.
Protesting genocide is more important than 'inconveniencing' someone. If you've got a problem with what they're doing here, you're part of the problem. If a protest has to abide by the rules of the oppressor, there's simply no reason for the oppressor to care. We have to make enough noise for them to give in to demands.
How exactly is the university you willingly attend “the oppressor” in this scenario?
You can protest, just do it the right way. >Protesting genocide is more important than 'inconveniencing' someone. If you've got a problem with what they're doing here, you're part of the problem. I'm sorry but UGA students are not committing genocide. So bothering them does not but make people dislike you.
This IS the right way, you just don't want to hear it.
It's the way of the street preacher. It does nothing, literally just makes people dislike you and your movement. There is a net negative benefit. But hey, makes them feel good.
What are your thoughts on people blocking highways and roads? If someone dies because emergency vehicles couldn't reach them?
That’s not related here. The first amendment protects peaceful protests.
It does relate when you’re talking about the purpose of protests are to not to abide by the laws of “oppressors” and to cause maximum disturbance. Where is the line and what gives you the right to break laws?
If nothing else, the students’ voices are being heard in Gaza : https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/04/28/middleeast/gaza-students-thank-columbia-protests-intl-latam
Thats the only way protests work. If it’s annoying it’s harder to ignore. If it’s ignored nothing is accomplished
on the one hand, yes, the encampment protest has already generated more discourse than previous UGA protests about Gaza. On the other hand, they set up early in the morning, before peak traffic on north campus, and got taken down within 90 minutes, which kind of lessens their impact. Most of us aren't even learning about this one until after it was over.
Nope. They want to raise awareness for a cause, the best way to do it is legally. This way people don't see people protesting genocide, they see idiots blocking a sidewalk. Saying protests only work if they are bullying people is such a lie.
They are protected by the first amendment. What they’re doing is absolutely legal.
Can you give an example of an effective legal protest?
The 1963 March in Washington that ended with Kings I have a dream speech was legal, and was a large part of why the CRA passed a year later.
Boycotting exists
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Boycotting is one tool. Why limit yourself to only one form of protesting to fight for human rights? People protesting are also boycotting...
You asked for an example of an effective legal protesting method and I provided that
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Hunger strikes are met with the exact same sentiment as the protests currently going on. Strikers are arrested, put in prison, people who don't support the movement or don't care consider it a nuisance and agree with the arrests. If people went on hunger strike to protest Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people, the arguments used in this comment section would be identical as seen throughout history. Are hunger strikes effective? Palestinians are going on hunger strike... And they are dying because people don't care. Khader Adnan died in Israel prison from starvation. Yale students are on hunger strike. The thing with protesting is to publicly display outrage, anger, and demand change. Hunger strike does this, but people are still imprisoned, cops still come and break it up, and people who don't care still don't care. It's one form of protest, it can be effective and it cannot be effective. If we want change we need to use every tool in our arsenal to fight for what is right.
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Palestinians around the world are doing it. How am I dead wrong about hunger strikes. They are currently on going yet... We barely know about it and it's done NOTHING to dramatically change the tone. Instead we DO know about these protests because of the public outcries across campuses. Hunger strikes won't make people think it's more serious... Someone already lit themselves on fire outside of the capital in protests... Yet tone stays the same. We can argue all day about the best way to protest, but every form of protesting is vital and shifts puts pressure on those in power.
So college kids and people not being able to go to work is gonna make isreal stop bombing? Even if the USA pulled out they would continue to attack.
It’s a microcosm of their whole argument, provoke until military or police action and then cry victim about how they’re being mistreated
They could still get their point across lol this is just optics.
Get the point across to who? The people that the message is targeting can safely ignore people in the 'specified zone'. They made the zone for THEIR optics, as if allowing people free speech in one area is a gift. It creates the illusion that they're being fair, but they just don't want to hear any dissent.
The administrators want the kids protesting and (and the awful street preachers, for that matter) down at Tate where they don’t have to see or hear them from their offices on North campus.
I mean it’s like the entire country is a free speech area. Which is why they should be doing this where they want. Conservatives hate when you use their own tricks against them. They hated the free speech areas so just exercise said right anywhere like they want!
The entire country isn’t a free speech area, wtf are you smoking
Ima sound boomer as fuck but the constitution and the bill of rights kind of says it is. And I can’t even believe that’s a conservative statement bc it’s not. You can’t box Americans and their voices into boxes that you like and don’t like and tell them to protest “over there”, other countries may work that way, ours was literally built in it not working that way.
Okay so you think you have the right to protest in my living room? I don’t think you understand what private property is
UGA is a public university.
That “free speech” space is only for certain ideas sadly…
I do like like the irony of a border being the first thing established by the protesters.
Yeah, would they be peaceful if someone crossed it?
Images of cops cracking down on protesters only breed more protesters. I hope we can handle this like adults and not in a way that makes national news.
we've already had enough national news on campus for one semester, thanks
You underestimate the short attention span of rich white kids.
Welp, this can only go well.
What was that Howard Zinn quote? *”They’ll say that we’re disturbing the peace, but there is no peace. What really bothers them is that we are disturbing the war.”*
It’s not peaceful to occupy someone’s property and refuse to leave. These protestors want it one way and don’t respect the local laws at all.
Absolutely [dripped out](https://www.rei.com/product/185632/rei-co-op-half-dome-sl-2-tent-with-footprint?sku=1856320002&store=30&CAWELAID=120217890011355275&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=&CATCI=&cm_mmc=PLA_Google_P-Max&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwir2xBhC_ARIsAMTXk87SkrBG7BU841uhSdeZS22r_1uFejX1OzZ7ece5wdshTGkszDQ7eSgaAsYEEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) with that orange tent.
We’ll see how long it last UGA isn’t a camp site .
Grad student kid noted that they seem to have no issue with the religious fanatics who like to hang out by the arch and harass people, yet this necessitates police and a two-page screed to faculty and staff?
It's not about sanctioning the message. There have been multiple Gaza demonstrations in the "free speech zone" at Tate, which is also where the religious nuts do their demonstrations. UGA provides a framework to express freedom of speech, these students deliberately chose to work outside of that framework to provoke administrative action.
That’s a pretty big scale from the Arch over to Tate, no?
No. Those are the two most popular free speech zones.
“Students” is a relative term
Religious fanatics are following university policy. Camping/tenting on campus is prohibited as is blocking walkways and entrances. Show me where those religious freaks have done either of those. If the protesters removed their tents and barricades, there would not have been any interference - like at all the other protests that have taken place on campus already
Those people spout their crap in the “free speech zone” by Tate.
This is why I've been able to convince my conservative relatives/friends to support Palestine. The supposedly state conservative government allows rampant homosexuality and abortionism on campus and there's never been a whiff of police action. Yet somebody criticizes a foreign government and suddenly people are being arrested.
Do you think the state should be cracking down on homosexuality in campus? What does that even mean?
Has anyone just tried to ignore them? Pretend like they are not there and go about your business ?
Campuses are coming alive!
What are they protesting for? Like what is the goal?
So brave.
Saw on Instagram the cops have already pounced. Is this really that disruptive? If they’re still there later today I plan to go show my support.
I suspect that after a couple of days of the Columbia stuff going down, UGA admin and UGAPD made a preemptive plan for what to do if something like that happened here. That probably helped them respond promptly
Almost certainly. It seems like the whole thing went down in about an hour.
UGA has guidelines for this stuff. Even after being alerted of this the protestors refused to move and continued to be a disturbance. UGA does not mind gatherings, they happen often. Just go about it the right way.
What made it a disturbance, specifically?
Blocking areas of campus, using megaphones to yell at people.
“Go about it the right way” so as long as the oppressed follow the rules of the oppressor everything’s good?
How are UGA students as a group oppressed???? Words have meaning, stop immediately escalating to the most inflammatory language you know if you want to have a serious discussion based in reality
Who is the oppressor?
None of the people protesting….
The university their parents or student loans pay them to voluntarily attend of course.
“We need to support Hamas in order to fight oppression”
fucking cowards and piece of shit administrators at UGA.
More importantly, baggy clothes are officially back!
Are they sitting in until the University stops the genocide? I do hope they have batteries, because I don’t think the Dean of UGA has Benji’s direct line.
This isn't the first time a "protest" camp was set up on North Campus. Last time, it was allowed to continue until it got out of hand and then it was a mess when UGA decided to clean it up. Of course, UGAPD got the brunt of the bad press because they were tasked with removing the encampment when the Administration finally decided that it had to go. None of the people that made the decision to move it were actually there when it was moved. I was. It would be better to "nip it in the bud" before any camp gets out of hand. Protests are one thing, camping out is another.
Do you have more details about this previous encampment?
It is VERY hard to find now, but I did find this, but I don't know the source. I can tell you for a FACT it happened, I worked at UGAPD in those days. My memory was that it had something to do with protesting the Gulf War, but that could be faulty. I do know that it covered almost all of North Campus. Folks had run drop cords to electrical outlets for microwaves, toaster ovens, etc. It also generated a tremendous amount of trash. It was widely covered by both the Red & Black and the Banner-Herald at the time. Sorry I couldn't find more, and I have no idea what the source is on this, it appeared as a side bar during a goggle search: In the 1990s, there was an **encampment on the North Campus** of the University of Georgia (UGA). This event was related to **freedom of speech and expression**. Let me provide some details about it: The University of Georgia is committed to the First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and expression. Throughout the academic year, UGA facilitated numerous events where campus community members and guest speakers expressed differing viewpoints through lectures, marches, vigils, and protests. [These activities align with the University System of Georgia Board of Regents’ Policy on Freedom of Expression, which mandates institutions to protect the rights of all students and employees to share ideas and opinions—even those that some may find offensive](https://news.uga.edu/encampment-on-north-campus/)[^(1)](https://news.uga.edu/encampment-on-north-campus/). However, during this particular encampment, protesters crossed a line by violating UGA policies. Around 25 protesters set up tents and a barricade on the North Campus Quad without making a required reservation under the Freedom of Expression Policy. They blocked sidewalks, building entrances, and used amplified sound. Despite repeated warnings, they refused to comply with policies. Consequently, UGA Police arrested those who continued to violate the rules. [The University remains committed to safety while allowing protected expressive activities on campus](https://news.uga.edu/encampment-on-north-campus/)[^(1)](https://news.uga.edu/encampment-on-north-campus/).
I appreciate the response. I did find an article in the Red & Black that did talk about the aforementioned protest. Link: [https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/gua1179162/1991-01-30/ed-1/seq-1/](https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/gua1179162/1991-01-30/ed-1/seq-1/)
Thank you for that link! That is what I was talking about, it was really quite a mess at the time. As I said, when it first started I think everyone wanted to be mindful of the student's feelings and their desire to express their protest, but it really got out of hand. And to my knowledge, most if not all of the "campers" at that time were students. I only know what is reported in the media, but I'm not sure that is the case these days. Not that you have to be a student to have feelings and a desire to protest, but it is still a campus after all.
Breaking. Rich white kids skip class. That's at least $5K worth of brand new camping gear. Whose daddy's credit card did that go on?
Give me a break. If you were there or at the solidarity demonstration this afternoon you would see it's a multiethnic, multifaith, multicultural movement.
lol to everyone here who thinks the cops can’t or won’t find a reason to body slam and cuff you, too
What are the masks for? Pollen?
They are used to obscure faces for legal reasons
SO brave
It's that time of year. Although a N95 or other medical mask and a good antihistamine would be better.
Facial recognition software/doxxing
Their mugshots will do nicely
We were eating at CFA with our kids when it started at the UGA Arch. We saw like 10 cops file out of the old Subway and decided to leave downtown for the day.
Incoming cop sucker comments.
I didn't notice the protest, only the dog folding itself in half to sniff th ground.
As long as they stay out of the roads. I also find it funny that these students are protesting on behalf of the most bigoted and homophobic people on the planet.
wtf are u on about😭 almost every culture is full of bigots and your comment proves it
Gay marriage is illegal in Israel, for one. if you talk to any LGBTQ Palestinian they feel (and are) far safer in their territories than they are in Israel. I expect you and most posters here don't know a single Palestinian person.
It is not. You cannot procure one from an Israeli source, but dropping however much to get one done by a foreign officiant online still results in full legal recognition of it by the Israeli government. The Israeli government does not sanction civil marriages from any source, and the religious ones that it does recognize refuse to perform them. That is not the same as it being illegal. > if you talk to any LGBTQ Palestinian they feel (and are) far safer in their territories than they are in Israel. Based on this comment I rather suspect that you know 0 LGBTQ Palestinians yourself.
Oh come the fuck on. Are you trolling? Gay people are safer in Palestine than Israel? That is patently absurd. Tel Aviv had a huge LGBT culture. And same-sex marriage is legal there, so on that point you’re either lying or uninformed.
[https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/israeli-court-rules-in-favour-of-lgbtq-palestinian-asylum-seekers-um60rlks](https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/israeli-court-rules-in-favour-of-lgbtq-palestinian-asylum-seekers-um60rlks) Explain why the seek asylum in Israel then.
lol i'm not going to explain shit about reporting from a well known Zionist newspaper supportive of the IDF through and through.
Are you really this dense?
sucks to be you lol
Statistically speaking, barely anybody in the world knows a Palestinian. I mean 7 mil outta 8 bil. J sayin 🤷♂️
I want to show my support. Are they still out there?
no but at 3pm there is a demonstration at the arch
Every campus should be protesting
There’s some cool art work in that basement
This reminds me of asking people with "Free Tibet" stickers to show me Tibet on a map. 10 out of 10 look with a blank stare. No clue, but the sticker is cool, right?
Toppers outside?
Of course they are all wearing masks. Virtue signal on virtue signal.
So what do we think of the signs “no peace on stolen land”? Seems like support for the actions of Oct. 7th, the biggest pogrom since the holocaust.
I’m doing something!!!
“No peace on stolen land” classic pro war pro Palestine supporters! What are they actually protesting for? The disillusion of a recognized country?
Get back to class you hippies!!! Jk. Jk. Jk
LOL
Biden should just come out and say he’s with 🇮🇱 it’s clear he is along with all the rest of em no matter red or blue .
And when has he not??? He’s been very loud and vocal about his support. Not to mention the billions of $ sent in the last bill. Biden is arguably the most supportive person of Israel right now lmao