Pro-Palestinian protests continue to grow at Bay Area universities even as some students risk suspension.
The protest at Stanford University’s White Plaza is growing. On Sunday, there were 23 tents and more people from outside the university, joining students to call for a cease fire in Gaza.
The protests at Stanford continue even after the university handed out letters to protesters, letting them know they could be expelled or possibly even arrested for staying in the area overnight.
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“Whether or not I get arrested or not, it’s not as important as liberation of the Palestinian people,” said student protester Adriana.
Protesters said that they want Stanford to take action.
“I would like the university to cut all of its ties to Israel, to cut all of its ties to companies that aid to Israel in funding the war crimes they commit against the Palestinian people,” Adriana said.
Preliminary results of a recent student election show a majority of undergrad Stanford students support the university, issuing a statement on divestment.
At Sonoma State University, protesters held another rally Sunday and were camped out for a second night as they called for an end to the violence in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Cal Poly Humboldt is now closed for the remainder of the semester after protesters occupied two buildings.
At UC Berkeley, protesting students continue to sleep in tents in front of Sproul Hall.
Students at San Francisco State University are planning to hold a rally Monday and professors have formed a local chapter of Faculty for Justice in Palestine to support them.
“We are advising the university under no circumstances to deploy police. We are asking the university not to engage in any kind of academic retaliation, including but not limited to expulsion or suspension or eviction,” said Omar Zahzah, assistant professor with the College of Ethnic Studies at SFSU.
In Los Angeles, the University of Southern California (USC) has already cancelled its commencement because of on campus protests and many students in the Bay Area are wondering what might be next for them.
NBC Bay Area reached out to Stanford University Sunday, which they said that it has already begun referring names of student protesters to the Office of Community Standards for student conduct reviews.
Some Stanford students NBC Bay Area spoke with on Sunday said they plan to keep camping out at White Plaza.
