Despite efforts by Cornell University to avoid a repeat of the spring semester ruckus caused when an international group advocating boycotts against Israeli academics descended upon the Ithaca campus in upstate New York, anti-Israel protesters marked their return today for day one of fall classes with new images defacing university property.
On Day Hall’s entrance, the glass of one door was shattered and messages like “Israel bombs, Cornell pays” were spray-painted in red.
Here is a brief statement from the Cornell administration — Vice President for University Relations Joel Malina: “We are appalled by the graffiti spray painted, and glass shattered overnight along the front entrance of Day Hall. He also stressed that “violence, long term occupation of buildings or property damage (that includes graffiti) will not be tolerated and an immediate public safety response can quickly occur.”
According to Malina, the Cornell Police are conducting a serious investigation and that appropriate suspensions of students in violation can be expected as well as criminal charges.
A group of anonymous activists said they were responsible for the vandalism in a statement made to The Sun. They also argued that the administration left them with no choice but to direct their action at what they consider “one of the only ways to silence our voices: property.”
The activists wrote that the administration was trying to give an impression of a “normalcy” that they will be fighting against every day in their effort rural Cornell upholds its tradition as a fascist, capitalist and imperial machine.
They described former Cornell University President Martha Pollack as having failed to call for a ceasefire in Gaza or divest from Israel before her retirement and promised, “We will keep the pressure up here at Cornell with continued militant action.”
Still other statement writers wrote off peaceful protests as inadequate for their purposes.
In doing so, they followed about 150 members of the “Coalition for Mutual Liberation” as the previous day concluded and marched from Ho Plaza to Klarman Hall that evening. They poured into the venue, boisterously chanting ‘from the river to sea — Palestine will be free.’”
Using zip-ties, the protesters hoisted a banner that read “Peoples school coming soon.”
After weeks of protest, Cornell University Interim President Michael Kotlikoff and Interim Provost John Siliciano have explained the particular set of protocols in response to demonstrations that would be followed up on through a statement released Monday.
The letter says the university will work to ensure that registered encampments can take place in important campus locations, while minimizing interference with other events. But they also cautioned that protests not submitted in advance or which breach the regulations would be met with a “graduated response” ending any protest by non-coercive means.
The administrators ended the statement by reiterating a commitment to protecting open expression and free dialogue while understanding instances where maintaining an educational environment without any harassment or discrimination is also essential. Balancing these principles, they wrote, must be accomplished through administrative actions that are “consistent and content neutral.”
