NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Atlanta, GA, May 1, 2024: An Indian American student at Emory University’s medical school with roots in Arizona was among the 28 people arrested following recent pro-Palestine protests and encampments on its campus. NRI Pulse will not name the student to protect his privacy.
The student, and the 27 other protestors who were booked into the Dekalb County Jail, are now out on bail.
According to our sources, Emory University has decided to drop charges against the protesting students.
In total, officials say 20 out of the 28 people arrested were “Emory community members.”
Demonstrators once again gathered on campus on Wednesday afternoon to protest the Israel-Hamas war and the establishment of an Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
Emory admin’s new stance is that they didn’t know cops, when called, would behave… like cops. Didn’t know cops would arrest people, use violence, or fabricate charges. You shouldn’t run the #1 employer in Atlanta if this is news to you in 2024.
— Sanjena Sathian (@sanjenasathian) April 29, 2024
Emory President Gregory L. Fenves on Tuesday apologized for mischaracterizing the protestors as those from outside the Emory community.
“Based on the information we had early Thursday morning, we determined that the individuals who constructed the encampment on our Quad were not members of our community. It is clear to us now that this information was not fully accurate, and I apologize for that mischaracterization,” his statement said. “My goal was to remove a growing encampment, as allowing such an encampment would have been highly disruptive, affecting everything from classes and exams to our ability to hold Commencement. I remain firm that such encampments cannot be permitted at Emory.”
“I have heard from many of you, and I want you to know that I am listening. I understand your concerns, your fears, your frustrations, and your outrage. As we enter the final week of the academic year, I am focused on protecting our campuses, supporting peaceful expression for all members of our community, and finding ways to foster healing and rebuild trust,” he added.
Fenves said he was devastated that members of the Emory community were caught up in law enforcement activity enforcing the removal of the encampment.
“The videos of these interactions are deeply distressing,” he said, adding that the university was launching a review of them. This review will include how Emory engages external law enforcement agencies.
On Thursday, tensions escalated at Emory University as authorities resorted to force to disperse protesters. After the group was ordered to leave, the Atlanta Police Department and Georgia State Patrol were summoned for assistance. Reports indicate the use of Tasers and pepper balls by officers to bring the crowd under control, resulting in several arrests.
Shocking footage circulating on social media captured the aggressive detainment of two women who identified themselves as professors.
In a separate incident on Thursday evening, protesters pinned police officers against the glass doors of the Candler School of Theology on campus, hurling objects at law enforcement, reports Fox 5.
The protests at Emory were part of a broader wave of demonstrations related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Similar protests and encampments were held at other universities, including Columbia and Princeton, where students have called for solidarity with Palestine and urged universities to distance themselves from entities supporting Israeli military efforts.
Meanwhile, another Indian American woman, enrolled at Princeton University is one of two students arrested during the pro-Palestine protests on the campus, according to local reports.
Achinthya Sivalingan and Hassan Sayed were arrested after the protesters set up tents for an encampment in a university courtyard on early Thursday morning.
The two students faced charges of trespassing and have been “immediately barred from the campus,” said Jennifer Morrill, a university representative, noting that setting up tents on the campus violated university policy.
