In Support of the 41 Arrested Students

Brown University has now had a total of 61 student protestors arrested this semester for peacefully performing sit-ins of University Hall to call for divestment.

Call on President Paxson, and other administrators to:

1) drop the charges against 41 arrested students,

2) exempt all 41 students from any disciplinary action,  

3) heed the growing call to divest from companies which profit off violence against Palestinians,

4) and stop calling on the carceral system in response to non-violent student protest.

Brown had 41 students arrested for staging a sit-in of University Hall to call for divestment. The peaceful action was undertaken by members of Brown Divest Coalition a "multicultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious coalition of students from diverse backgrounds and traditions."

And, in what appears to be an unprecedented move on the part of the university...

spokesperson Brian Clark confirmed that "Brown DPS arranged with the Providence Police Department to conduct all arrest processing on-site in University Hall" as quoted in the BDH. Clark confirmed students had fingerprints taken and were "photographed," Clark's word-choice, within University Hall.

Despite Clark's framing of this process "as in lieu of being detained in physical custody,” students were nonetheless released by law enforcement one by one from the building per the BDH.

As students and teachers at Brown University, PSC is deeply disturbed and outraged that any university building would be transformed into a place of holding for the purpose of arrest. We know this to be entirely at odds with the mission of any educational institution.

Brown University has now called police to arrest a total of 61 of its students this semester.

We hope that you will join us in the coming weeks and months in continuing to fight for our brave students as they fight for one another. BDC made it clear in their message around the action that they are taking the words of their injured classmate Hisham to heart-

"Divest for Hisham."

solidarity,
PSC