UCF's Student Coalition Against Genocide
The CBPP Coverage of the Student Activists Press Conference
This past Thursday, the Chronicles for Black Political Power was invited to witness one of many displays of student resistance against their zionist-compromised universities. On the campus of the University of Central Florida, 20+ students gathered in front of UCF’s Millican Hall to express both their demands and frustrations with the university’s administration regarding the campus’ complicity in supporting genocide and U.S. imperialism abroad.
This coalition comprised many student-led organizations. These organization include the Student for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the Knights Against Genocide Coalition (KAGC), the Young Democratic Socialists (DSA), Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) as well as citywide organizations such as the Florida Palestinian Network (FPN), the Party of Socialism & Liberation (PSL), and the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party (AAPRP - a Pan-African political party).
At around noon, a speaker representing SJP vigorously vocalized five (5) demands for the campus administration to adhere. Those DEMANDS are paraphrased below:
Disclose current and future investments to student-body and faculty.
Divest from all Zionist companies, war profiteers, and corporations complicit in any and all human rights violations, including ethnic cleansing and genocide.
Bar war profiteers from recruiting on campus, to include military recruiters, defense contractors, and military technology companies.
Resists fascist attacks on ALL students, youth, and workers most particularly those that are classified as Arab and Muslim.
Reject Anti-Palestinian Conditions demanded of the State in exchange for receiving Federal Funding.
Following the demands, the student coalition then entered Millican Hall to emphasize those demands directly to the UCF’s administration. Upon their return back outside, multiple students of a variety of ethnic backgrounds representing the various organizations present voiced their anger and disdain for their campus’ complicity in genocide.
FULL COMMENTARY FOUND HERE
The first of the speakers, representing both SJP and the Young DSA, began their speech by emphasizing the sheer horrors the victims of the U.S. backed, Israeli-led genocide are experiencing followed by a fierce condemnation of UCF’s blatant partnership with war mongers and profiteers. The Department of Defense funding the university to the tune of $1.5 million as well as the fact UCF is one of the top suppliers of graduates to aerospace and defense industries, Lockheed Martin specifically, were directly called out.
The university was also reprimanded for creating an unsafe environment for the student activists, especially students of Palestinian or Arab backgrounds. The speaker noted that several of their comrades have been harassed and arrested by campus law enforcement or suspended by UCF’s administration due to their activism. Their words ended with the call to dismantle U.S. imperialism through organizing amongst fellow students and the working class.
The next speaker, who notably displayed the Star of David on their person, spoke on behalf of the KAGC and SDS. Entirely fed up with the university’s complicity in suppressing the voices of student activists, the speaker made a direct demand for the end to the collaboration between the Office of Student Conduct & Academic Integrity and the State (particularly the FBI and ICE) in the effort to target activists on campus.
Per the speaker, one of their own members of SDS was suspended and currently facing trumped up felony charges for protesting the genocide in Gaza. However, despite the university’s catering to fascistic forces and the lack of safety made available to the student body against these same forces, the speaker ended their commentary with words of encouragement regarding the power of organizing and unifying against these forces of suppression and oppression.
The following speaker was a member of the Florida Palestinian Network. They spoke to the broader reality that is the U.S. government’s (includes representatives, leaders, and officials) intentional support for genocide and lackluster attempt to cover-up the fact. These leaders must be held accountable for it is without argument that the Zionist colonial project that is Israel wouldn’t have the capability to complete its genocidal goal against the Palestinians without the weapons, financial support, and political protection from the United States.
The FPN spokesperson intensely demanded an arms embargo and that the U.S. government follow the precedent set by the United States with the passage of the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, which was used to sanction apartheid South Africa. The simple action of cutting off supplies to human rights violators gave way to the oppressed peoples ability to combat their oppressors, it worked then and should be done now. The reality of activist suppression was once again brought into focus with the speaker pointing out the fact that it is our right under International Law, as well as our duty, to resist genocide.
“We can not let ourselves to become conditioned to think this is normal!”
The speaker would end their speech with reinforcing the value in organizing and getting involved with others to resist the evil wills of the State. That we as a nation can not continue to allow those we call leaders to dictate the future of our nation and ourselves.
The last two speakers were members of PSL and AAPRP, respectively.
The speaker brought attention to the absurdity of our government’s priorities favoring weapons development and arms sales for human rights violators while completely ignoring the needs and plight of the American working class.
“No matter who’s in charge of the administration, the BOMBS STILL FALL!”
Making it clear that this is a fight that doesn’t end with Donald Trump, but the entire governing apparatus that has chosen to betray the working class in favor of killing the innocent abroad. The answer to this ludacris reality in the U.S. is to fight for a Socialist America, per the speaker, once again stating the vitality of worker and student organizing was emphasized against oppression.
Though not directly tied to the plight of Palestinians, AAPRP’s representative, spoke eloquently about the necessity of holding solidarity with ALL marginalized and oppressed people around the globe against imperialism. The speaker commended the hearts and minds of the young organizers for utilizing their brains and skills to marshal themselves into such a coalition against unnecessary death and destruction. For the State has infiltrated such areas of higher learning for the purpose of utilizing the brilliance of America’s youth to support the U.S. empire.
The last of the orators made the clear connection between the goal of U.S. imperialism and the plight of many from Indigenous America, Black America, Palestine, Congo, Sudan, and more. Understanding this connection isn’t enough, however, the will to organize alongside the oppressed against imperialism is the lifeline to resisting the global oppressors. This was the final call to action for the entire student body of UCF, to join the various organizations centered around uplifting the marginalized and refuse to allow the universities administration to sell out the students in favor of war profiteering and genocide.
At the conclusion of the press conference, the coalition proceeded to split up and move toward the Student Union Center in hopes to garner more support from their fellow students for liberation of oppressed people and against the fascist regime that plagues their university.
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