Alek S. | Red Phoenix correspondent | Florida–

Following a 17-day hunger strike that included hospitalizations, building occupations, and widespread condemnation of University of South Florida administration, USF students achieved a historic victory on April 10 when their divestment resolution was passed by the school’s Student Government Senate. The first of its kind in the American South and one of few countrywide, the resolution called for the immediate divestment from companies complicit in war crimes such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, as well as transparency in the investment process. The resolution’s success is a significant victory in a Floridian state of right-wing reaction.

After several weeks of grinding through the university’s legislative processes, students from USF’s Divest Coalition and members of the American Party of Labor saw their resolution passed successfully to the Senate floor. It was at this point where elected student senators would decide the fate of the proposal, with many questioning its place on the agenda from the beginning, arguing that a controversial human rights issue had little to do with an American university. For student organizers like Will Mleczko, however, the connection had long been clear.

“What we’re seeing, contrary to other claims, is that institutions across the country are economically supporting genocide and mass murder programs. So while some people question whether a student government should make university-wide rulings about such an issue, it’s clear the relationship is there.”

Mleczko further argued that universities like that of South Florida are simply microcosms of the real world. “College is meant to feel like its own bubble, but the contradictions and issues on campus are also those that plague the rest of the world, on a much larger scale. We can’t forget that.”

However, what should have been a straightforward proposal had long been compromised. On the morning of the proposal, USF Student Government President Cesar Esmeraldi took to the university’s official Instagram page for Student Government to issue a statement. Titled, “Why I Urge Our Senators to Vote Against the ‘USF Divest Resolution’ Today,” Esmeraldi’s comments sparked public outrage, particularly because he was not authorized to use an official university account, nor to speak on behalf of Student Government officials. Esmeraldi, who also serves as a trustee at USF, used the video to slate the resolution. Painting the status quo of the university investing in weapons manufacturers as “apolitical,” Esmeraldi also accused the authors of the resolution of outright lying in their attempts to have “unreasonable” demands met.

Immediately following the statement, several other USF student government accounts were quick to distance themselves from his comments. The St. Petersburg Branch posted that, “USF St. Petersburg Student Government was not consulted regarding the material of this content. This video does not represent the views and beliefs of USF St. Petersburg Student Government,” while the Sarasota-Manatee Student Government offered the same pushback. Further statements were made by other community leaders, organizations, and student senators themselves, who publicly denounced Esmeraldi. “You do not represent the beliefs of senate and you cannot intimidate us into voting the way that you want,” one senator wrote.

When students were able to sit down for the proposal’s proceedings, tensions rose between Zionist and anti-Zionist attendees, with the former filming, taking pictures, and recording individuals who spoke up or identified with the Palestinian cause. Distress was at such a level that University officials received backup from a squad of police officers, who not only stayed present during the entirety of the five hour meeting, but filled the parking lots and walkways to quell any unrest afterwards.

What further exacerbated the proceedings was the sheer volume of students attending the proposal. The building’s occupancy is 120 people, but hundreds of students had been queuing up in long lines for almost two hours. Police and staff eventually had to removed students from the Chambers, joining more than 50 students who were tuning in right outside.

Despite opposition, however, the authors of the resolution and various student senators defended their proposal. When the question of legality and boycotting had risen, one senator even remarked that, “Just because something is or isn’t legal, doesn’t mean it’s morally righteous.” Their brave words, and those of the authors of the resolution, encouraged a record breaking outcome of 16 in favor, 15 against. The vote signified the USF community’s abhorrence of war crimes, and the desire for transparency in the investment process. Students cheered outside as they exited the chambers, a victory made sweeter by the fact many were only a week removed from the brink of starvation.

“It’s a wonderful feeling,” resolution author and activist Ava said. “We feel heard and seen, and for our university to be one of the first to publicly call for divestment is such an important step for our movement. We have so much more to accomplish, but this is something we’re all incredibly proud of, and it motivates us to keep fighting until Palestine is free.” Other student organizers reiterated the importance of the moment, while acknowledging that the USF Divest Coalition is “just getting our work started” and “won’t stop until complete divestment.”

Categories: Education, U.S. News

Tags: Israel, Palestine