BLACK PROFESSOR ARRESTED AT PRO-PALESTINE RALLY SPEAKS

On 15 May, 10 police agencies arrested several people, including Professor Tiffany Willoughby-Herard, at the University of California, Irvine, during a pro-Palestine protest that began occupying a university building. Police also cleared a more than 2-week-old student encampment outdoors. UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman’s statement said students’ escalation required police action.

The demonstrators, like many across the US, demand the University of California (UC) system divest $32 billion, or 18 per cent of its $175 billion in assets, from Israel. The system invests in weapons manufacturers, asset manager BlackRock, Coca-Cola, Disney and 22 other companies that either do business or invest in Israel, according to an EdSource.org review of the UC system’s investments. In April, Gillman stated the institution would not boycott or divest from Israel.

The UC system educates 280,000 students on 10 campuses in California and other facilities outside the US state.