UC Berkeley reaches an agreement with pro-Palestinian student protesters to dismantle their encampment without police intervention. The main demands included divestment from ties to Israel and arms companies. Ongoing controversies and investigations persist at the university.
Pro-Palestinian Protest at UC Berkeley Ends with Agreement
By Jaweed Kaleem, Teresa Watanabe, and Hannah Wiley – May 14, 2024
UC Berkeley has reached an agreement with pro-Palestinian student protesters to dismantle their encampment at the central campus plaza. The encampment, which began on April 23, swelled to over 180 tents and hundreds of students. Unlike other universities, UC Berkeley resolved the situation without police intervention or arrests. The protesters planned to continue their activism at the UC Regents meeting at UC Merced the following day.
UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ opted for negotiations over force, noting the generally peaceful nature of the protest. The main demands of the protesters included the university’s divestment from ties to Israel and arms companies involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The encampment’s end does not resolve ongoing controversies at UC Berkeley, marked by deep divisions over pro-Palestinian activism and accusations of antisemitism from some Jewish community members. The U.S. Department of Education is investigating potential civil rights violations at the university related to shared ancestry discrimination, following an incident in February involving harassment during an event with an Israeli speaker.
During the protest’s dismantling, students packed up their tents and planned future demonstrations at other campuses, including a significant presence at the upcoming UC Regents meeting in Merced. The protest movement has stated they would continue to support related actions, including an unfair labor practice strike involving the UAW Local 4811 academic workers’ union.
This agreement at UC Berkeley mirrors similar resolutions at other universities such as Sacramento State, Occidental College, and UC Riverside, none of which agreed to divest from Israel but have taken steps toward more socially responsible investment practices.
Reporting contributed by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images; Kaleem, Watanabe, and Wiley
