This article describes the little-reported on success that Brown University had in disbanding student protest… by conceding to let activists present a case for divestment at an upcoming hearing before the university’s investment board.
There’s a lot of interesting considerations. The university did not agree to drop charges against forty students for rule violations, but the charged students themselves voted to accept the agreement under the belief that the overall offer was worth their own sacrifices.
Overall, I personally think this shows the irresponsibly unreported fact that negotiation with a protest IS an option that can serve the interests of both sides far better than state violence.
That’s a concern I share, but I think I’m the immediate moment, the activists have forced the university to break down a very significant barrier: their demands are legitimized by this. It becomes harder for other schools to justify a crackdown. And if this gets repeated, we move on to the next chapter of this story: university hearings across the country.
The goal is to change what is possible and put pressure on Israel and it’s material bankers. A large number of hearings does that. Crackdowns don’t really hurt the war effort or the profits of the military industrial tech complex.
It’s going to require a lot more pressure, but if this is not winning this particular battle, I’m not sure what that looks like.