Share and Follow
As far as anti-Israel campus protests go, the one held this week at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee started off as pretty run-of-the-mill, with the usual unhinged demands and all that – until administrators, security, and even a 911 call center operator let them know that no games would be played.
It all began Tuesday in the aftermath of officials with the private school yanking a BDS amendment from a student ballot on the grounds that it might have been in “potential conflict with federal and state laws”:
Vanderbilt University students are protesting Tuesday after an amendment to the Vanderbilt Student Government Constitution, which would prevent student government funds from going to certain businesses that support Israel, was removed by administration officials from a student ballot in late March.
Nearly 30 students crammed into the halls of Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier’s office to hold a sit-in, along with over 30 more students on the steps outside, despite threats of suspension and possible removal from the building.
[…]
Vanderbilt administration told The Tennessean in a recent statement that the “student-led effort to pass a resolution proposing Vanderbilt Student Government adopt boycott, divestment and sanctions tactics did not move forward because of potential conflict with federal and state laws.”
As the video shows, the students forced their way into the chancellor’s office lobby by manhandling and pushing past staff:
NEW: Yesterday Vanderbilt students pushed their way into a campus building to conduct a sit-in in the lobby of the chancellor’s office: pic.twitter.com/2HXQ6Md1Y2
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) March 27, 2024
At various points during the demonstration the protesting students, who were reportedly part of Vanderbilt’s Divest Coalition – which introduced the amendment – yelled at and tried to shame black police officers who were helping contain the situation:
NEW: Protestors occupying the chancellor’s office at Vanderbilt try to shame a black police officer:
“You are black in America, and you’re NOT standing with the marginalized people of the world. What does that make you?!” pic.twitter.com/4aPCGXUSVR
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) March 26, 2024
After the administration started handing out suspensions, we learned that they were allegedly “starving” protesters and not allowing them restroom breaks, which prompted them to turn water bottles into urine bottles:
UPDATE: The Vanderbilt administration is reportedly blocking food and bathroom access, according to the protestors.
Protestors are peeing in bottles behind their banners. pic.twitter.com/IG9GqvnKtA
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) March 27, 2024
This resulted in protesters who were outside the building starting “Let them pee, let them eat” chants:
Students outside chanted, “Let them pee! Let them eat!” pic.twitter.com/hrYaCu3VMs
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) March 27, 2024
The university’s strategy particularly angered the demonstrators when they learned that officers were given water and Panera Bread orders during the course of the evening’s events – but not students:
Student protestors inside Kirkland Hall told The Hustler that they are not being allowed to have food or medicine brought to them or use the restroom, leading people to urinate in bottles. A student protester inside Kirkland Hall granted anonymity for protection from retribution said they fear legal trouble for public indecency if they were to pee in a bottle.
Water and food from Panera Bread were taken inside the building around 6 p.m. CDT, which student protesters said were given to police officers on the premises.
Panic also ensued after one of the female protesters allegedly needed to go to the bathroom to change her tampon but was afraid that once she got up she would be arrested. Her friend and fellow protester actually called 911 – on the police. The operator’s response was something else:
UPDATE: some of the students seem to be panicking.
They called 9-1-1 because they’re worried one of them could go into toxic shock.
They’re also worried she’ll be arrested if she leaves the building. pic.twitter.com/NrXAQvuxeu
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) March 27, 2024
It was later reported that the student ended up changing her tampon right where she sat:
Protestors stated that one student was “nearing toxic shock” with symptoms such as pain, nausea and feeling feverish but was still not being allowed to use the restroom without being removed from the premises. The student decided to remove their tampon within the sit-in.
When all was said and done, all protesting students were removed from the building in the early morning hours, not quite 24 hours into their sit-in. Four were arrested and 16 were said to have received suspensions.
No lessons will be learned by the students from this, of course, but the “no games will be played” message sent by the University was a welcome sign in a day and age where so many other campus administrators try coddling as a resolution, which only makes matters worse.
Flashback: Sad Trombone Plays at Harvard as ‘Doxxing Truck’ Enrages Student Group Signers of Anti-Israel Letter
