Anti-Israel activists from various universities in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area have come together to establish an encampment at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
The DMV Coalition of Students for Justice in Palestine, the organizing group behind this initiative, announced on Thursday their intention to disrupt normal activities on GWU's campus and call for the school to divest from Israel.
According to a statement posted on Instagram by the coalition, the encampment at GWU is a collaborative effort involving students from multiple universities in the DMV region, including George Washington, George Mason, American, Georgetown, UMD, UMBC, Howard, and Gallaudet. The primary objective of this gathering is to demonstrate unity and amplify their demands for financial transparency, boycotts, divestment from Israel, and an end to what they perceive as racist repression against pro-Palestine students.
This action at GWU is inspired by similar protests that have taken place at Columbia University in New York and several other educational institutions across the country. As the anti-Israel movement gains momentum, numerous protesters at various campuses have faced arrests for charges such as trespassing and disorderly conduct.