Amnesty International (AI) has issued a condemnation of the actions of US universities in response to student protests supporting Gaza.

The organization has urged university administrations across the United States to safeguard and facilitate the right of all students to peacefully and safely protest or counter-protest on their campuses.

AI reports that protests advocating for Palestinian rights on and around college campuses have been met with obstructive and repressive responses from university administrations. Rather than facilitating and protecting their students' right to protest, administrations have reportedly gone to great lengths to suppress it, involving local authorities, demanding arrests, and suspending students who engage in peaceful demonstrations.

Paul O’Brien, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, stated that institutions of higher learning play a crucial role in helping students understand and claim their human rights. He emphasized that any steps taken to silence, harass, threaten, or intimidate peaceful protesters are a violation of their rights.

Amnesty International highlighted the centrality of academic freedom to the right to education under international law. It stressed that administrations have a responsibility to foster an atmosphere that allows diverse viewpoints and ensures that all students can engage in discussions. Campus activism is a crucial component of that freedom and discussion.

The organization also emphasized that schools and universities should ensure that all students can safely express their views and beliefs and ensure protection of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. It added that due to the real and known risks of police violence that students could face, administrations should summon law enforcement to disperse campus demonstrations only as a last resort.

O’Brien further stated that the right to protest is critical to freely speak out against the current situation in Gaza. He pointed out that this is especially true as the U.S. government continues to provide weapons to the Israeli military and is increasingly complicit in the atrocities being committed against Palestinians every single day.

While AI clarified that criticism of the actions or policies of the Israeli government is not in and of itself antisemitic, it noted that there are videos circulating of individuals around some campus protests spewing hateful and harmful rhetoric. O’Brien continued, “To be clear, discrimination and promoting violence against Jewish communities are human rights violations. We at Amnesty International USA condemn hateful rhetoric and violence in the strongest possible terms.”

AI added that throughout history, protests have enabled individuals and groups to express dissent, opinions and ideas, expose injustice and abuse, and demand accountability from those in power. Protesting has been a vehicle for advancing human rights.

O’Brien concluded by calling on US President Biden to “immediately suspend all arms transfers to the government of Israel and to work for an immediate and permanent ceasefire to protect civilians, ensure unimpeded humanitarian aid access, and facilitate the safe release of hostages.”. (ILKHA)