Students are seen at an anti-Israel protest encampment at Stanford University during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Stanford, California, US, April 26, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Stanford University in California will withhold degrees from any seniors who participated in occupying the school president’s office during a pro-Hamas riot that broke out this week and caused the injury of a public safety officer.

“Thirteen individuals were arrested inside Building 10 this morning,” Stanford president Richard Saller and provost Jenny Martinez wrote in a message to the campus community on Wednesday. “In addition to going through the law enforcement process, any arrested individuals who are students will be immediately suspended. Any seniors will not be allowed to graduate.”

They added, “These actions are necessary based on the public safety threat posed to our campus community.”

According to Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the university has been resolute in resisting their demands for the adoption of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to isolate Israel from the international community as a step toward the Jewish state’s eventual elimination.

Before occupying Saller’s office, the anti-Israel group assembled a collection of tents on White Plaza — widely referred to as a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.” Despite living there since April 25, the university declined to negotiate terms with its members, a rebuff SJP called “gravely insulting to Palestinians and pro-Palestinian students on campus.”

Refusing to be ignored, SJP, as reported by The Stanford Daily, raided Saller’s office on Wednesday morning and dozens of other students, forming a human chain, “surrounded the building.” SJP proceeded to lock themselves inside, using, the Daily added, “bike locks, chains, ladders, and chairs” and covering security cameras with tin foil. SJP then reiterated its terms, demanding that no criminal charges be filed against its members and that any disciplinary proceedings currently underway be terminated.

Saller and Martinez said in Wednesday’s statement that this was a step too far, noting that the president’s office wasn’t the only building which SJP attempted to occupy.

“The situation on campus has now crossed the line from peaceful protest to actions that threaten the safety of our community,” they said. “This began with the recent attempted occupation of Building 570 and has now escalated into today’s deeply unfortunate events. In the interest of public safety, the encampment has been removed. There continue to be many ways for members of our community to engage in the peaceful expression of diverse viewpoints on important global issues, in a manner consistent with our university policies. We value that continued peaceful and reasoned debate but forcefully condemn any actions like those that were taken today.”

During the latest demonstrations, protesters graffitied “Kill cops” and “De@th 2 Isr@hell” on school property.

Stanford University – shocking calls for the death of the police and the Jewish nation.

A reminder once again that what starts with the Jews NEVER ends with the Jews.

Whomever is responsible must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law – enough is enough. pic.twitter.com/SRtuOE4s3F

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) June 5, 2024

Stanford’s withholding degrees from seniors comes amid widespread criticism of elite college officials’ allegedly soft-handed approach to dealing with anti-Zionist protesters.

Meanwhile, SJP is soliciting the public for donations

“As our comrades are released, we are asking the community to help support financially for their arrangements (i.e. legal, housing, food, etc,” the group said in a social media post. “We keep eachother [sic] safe. Thank you to our community for keeping us safe!”

“Gaza Solidarity Encampments” on US college campuses have caused immense harm to Jewish students, according to civil rights groups, which have cited incidents of antisemitic harassment and assault. Hesitating to restore order has so for led to legal consequences for Columbia University, which earlier this week settled a lawsuit which accused it of neglecting its obligation to foster a safe learning environment.

The resolution of the case, first reported by Reuters, calls for Columbia to hire a “Safe Passage Liaison” who will monitor protests and “walking escorts” who will accompany students whose safety is threatened around the campus. Other details of the settlement include “accommodations” for students whose academic lives are disrupted by protests and new security policies for controlling access to school property.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently issued words of encouragement to American Jewish college students during a meeting with a delegation of them at his office in Israel.

“We’re facing a world struggle to fight slander against the Jewish people and the Jewish state,” Netanyahu told the group, which comprised current and recently graduated students from Tulane University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) — the prime minister’s alma mater, which he attended while serving in the Israel Defense Forces — Columbia University, Rutgers University, the University of Michigan, and Harvard University.

“The most important thing is you have to fight. And how do you fight lies? With truth,” he continued. “A lie can circle the earth 1,000 times before a single word of truth gets through, but we have no other choice. We fight by exposing the lies.”

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.