Congresswoman Bush Statement on Washington University in St. Louis Crackdown on Students, Faculty & Community Members
Washington, D.C. (Apr. 30, 2024) — Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) released the following statement after the disturbing law enforcement and disciplinary response by Washington University in St. Louis to students, faculty, staff, and community members at the campus, which resulted in over 80 arrests and multiple suspensions.
“I am appalled by the response of Washington University to student-led protests over the past few weeks and days. The police brutality, mass arrests, suspensions, evictions, and wholesale bans on access to the St. Louis campus are inappropriate, unacceptable, and outright shameful.
“Washington University administrators have joined the disgraceful nationwide trend of violent, aggressive responses by university administrators and local law enforcement aimed at curbing the rights to free speech and assembly by students, faculty, staff, and community members. Violently assaulting and injuring people who are courageously advocating for peace and justice for Palestinians and Israelis alike is unconscionable. Every person in our community deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
“It is obvious that the recent wave of violence, suspensions, arrests, intimidation, denial of access to food and healthcare on campus, refusal to return property including medicines, and evictions from campus housing is intended to further suppress dissent by students and all those who dare to speak out for Palestinian human rights, and to demand transparency and divestment by their university. As the U.S. government sends another $14 billion to fund Netanyahu’s war crimes, these students deserve to be listened to, not criminalized.
“As an activist on the frontlines of the Ferguson Uprising, I experienced state-sanctioned violence and police repression, manipulation by the press, and self-serving, out-of-touch public officials who tried to crush our movement. I know from experience that these actions are traumatizing and dangerous; they do nothing to address the underlying issues and simply fuel more violence against non-violent protesters.
“At a time when students should otherwise be studying for finals or preparing for graduation, they have instead chosen to stand up against the Israeli government’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians by participating in nonviolent direct action. I am proud of our students, faculty, staff, and community members who stand on the side of peace and diplomacy at Washington University. Whether Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, Black, white, or any other race, faith, or ethnicity, they are united in a common cause on behalf of humanity, and I stand with them.
“Washington University must be the institution it claims to be. It must refuse to bow to the demands of those who seek to smear and divide us and undermine a growing movement for peace. The Administration must immediately halt its repressive tactics toward students, faculty, staff, and community members, including reversing suspensions, allowing students back on campus, supporting the dismissal of criminal charges, and stopping the blatant mischaracterization of the protests and arrests. And I urge officials to listen to and engage in productive dialogue with these young organizers instead of fueling a violent crackdown against them.
“Every student, faculty, and staff member has a right to feel safe on college campuses and to live in a society without fear of discrimination. The recent response by Washington University jeopardizes that right for everyone. Further, these false smears against student protesters do nothing to address the real issue of rising antisemitism in our country, which I condemn and remain committed to addressing.
“My Office and I are engaged in direct conversations with various parties involved, including students, faculty, and administrators, and I have formally requested a meeting with administrative officials to come to a resolution. We remain committed to doing all we can to ensure the safety of all students, faculty members, staff, and our broader St. Louis community.”
Congresswoman Bush has remained a steadfast advocate for peace and a lasting ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.
- On October 16, 2023, Congresswoman Bush, alongside Congresswoman Tlaib, and Representatives André Carson (IN-07), Summer Lee (PA-12), and Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), introduced the Ceasefire Now Resolution, which urges the Biden Administration to call for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine, to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, and to save as many lives as possible. Since its introduction, the Ceasefire Now Resolution has secured a total of 19 co-sponsors, and over 60 other members of Congress have come forward to publicly support a ceasefire.
- Over the past four months, Congresswoman Bush has held several press conferences with different groups, including veterans, rabbis, doctors, and unions, to highlight the breadth of the ceasefire movement.
- Last month, Congresswoman Bush and Tlaib both expressed support for South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) alleging Israel violated the Genocide Convention, and released a joint statement on the ICJ’s provisional measures ruling.
- On January 12, 2024, Congresswoman Bush released a statement celebrating the St. Louis City’s Board of Aldermen’s unanimous passage of a resolution calling on President Biden to work toward a ceasefire in Gaza.
- This February 2024, Congresswoman Bush, alongside Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), sent a letter to President Biden urging the President to decisively oppose any invasion by Israeli forces or further bombardment in Rafah, and to facilitate an immediate, lasting ceasefire to save lives.
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