Defend free speech at the University of Southern California for supporters of the Palestinian struggle!
USC President Carol Folt must resign or be removed!
>Reinstate Asna Tabassum as USC Valedictorian speaker! – Reconvene the 2024 commencement ceremony!
>No criminal charges or student conduct violations for anyone who participated in the National Day of Action for Gaza on Wednesday, April 24 at USC!
>Victory to the Palestinian struggle! – By any means necessary, end the Israeli genocidal invasion and occupation of Gaza!
On April 24, students and community at USC joined a national upsurge on college campuses across the country demanding an end to the genocidal invasion and occupation of Gaza, taking our movement to a new level of action and determination. Students and community filled the center of campus to participate in the events of the day. Many of us first became a part of this movement on our campus to defend the right of Asna Tabassum to speak at the 2024 commencement. Moved to action by President Folts’ campus police early in the morning who assaulted students and attempted to forcefully take down our banners and tents, we made clear that we were prepared to use any means necessary to defend our right to free speech and assembly to defend the Palestinian struggle for freedom.
The most inspiring moment for many was freeing a young organizer from a police squad car by surrounding it, chanting “let him go, let him go!” For anyone ever a victim of police harassment or abuse, we were filled with joy at our movement’s ability to win his freedom and to keep fighting through all obstacles. This new sense of our own power is a victory in and of itself. There must be no charges and no student code violations brought against anyone arrested in Wednesday’s action. President Folt and the police alone are responsible for the violence on that day.
>End President Folt’s policy of censorship and repression of the anti-war movement to defend the Palestinian struggle<
President Folt must not be allowed to continue her policy of censorship and repression of speech that is in defense of the Palestinian struggle. The genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza happening now has engulfed the consciousness of our nation, and any President of USC, an institution of international renown, who can only deal with the issue by attempting to silence it and anything associated with it has no place as President of our university.
President Folt’s removal of Asna as the rightful Valedictorian speaker at commencement and her cancellation of the entire graduation ceremony because she cannot justify Asna’s removal is a national embarrassment that shows a disdain for USC students and our families. Her invitation to the LAPD to occupy our campus, clear our protest, and arrest, brutalize, and shoot rubber bullets at students and members of our surrounding communities-who stood together to defend our right to protest-is unacceptable. The Latina/o, black, other minority and immigrant communities of South Central are a rightful part of our community and must be treated with respect and dignity.
Asna Tabassum has earned the right to give her Valedictorian speech. Asna should receive nothing but praise for what she has been willing to do thus far to tell the truth about the genocide in Gaza. Across the world, countless numbers of young people in the last 6 months have marched, posted information online, or spoken to friends and others; they have raised their voices against the outrage that is this invasion and occupation. Asna Tabassum is a leader and a symbol of the student movement to free Palestine. Reinstating Asna as the Valedictorian speaker is necessary as part of ending the administration’s policy of repression and censorship. It would be a victory for the movement for the Palestinian struggle and for the principles of free speech as a reality, not just a hollow phrase.
For 6 months now, the Palestinian people have maintained their struggle in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. This has been possible because they know that there is an international mass movement, most importantly in the United States, that continues to act. Their action has served as a call to action. When we fight to win Asna’s right to speak, we answer that call. When we fight for President Folt’s resignation or removal, we answer that call. Our victories make our movement grow and gain consciousness of our power.
Our movement is young and highly integrated and active, with women and Muslim communities in the forefront. We have more to do. Netanyahu’s fascist coalition government is still in power, and the Biden administration continues to make the arming of Israel’s genocidal military a primary objective, making the United States the most important country to the conduct of the Israeli government policy. The struggles that have broken out here as well as in Columbia University are spreading across the country and show a movement that is strong and continuing to grow.
At USC, Palestinian, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Jewish, and students, faculty and staff of all races coming together, marching, gathering petitions, and passing resolutions are exactly what we must do to win. We are the only force on our campus willing to do what is necessary to defend our education, free speech, and every progressive principle our university claims to believe in.
The continued violence of the Israeli military has only been matched by the deafening silence of nations around the world who claim to be opposed to violations of human rights but have stood by and done nothing or even enabled the flagrant violations of human rights perpetrated by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Our movement must keep moving and looking for ways to tell the truth about what is happening in Gaza. If we keep fighting we can win.
