UC Irvine: The Tents Are Up

 

On Monday, UC Irvine joined the ranks of universities with tents set up on campus. One item of note: Someone brought the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran.  Duly noted.

Also on Monday, UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman issued the below statement.

https://chancellor.uci.edu/communications/campus/2024/240429-campus-activity-update.php

April 29, 2024

Campus activity update

Dear UC Irvine Community, 

Early this morning, a group of approximately 50 people – some campus members and others not affiliated with the campus – set up an unauthorized “encampment” adjacent to Rowland Hall and Croul Hall in an area where classes are taught and research is conducted. During the day, we have seen protests in this area that are in violation of our policies that are designed to help ensure free expression on our campus.

We have reached out to the students in the existing illegal encampment and have made it clear to them that if they believe they need an “encampment” space on campus to peacefully express their views, then we will work with them to find a space that is appropriate and non-disruptive. We hope that our students and other affiliates do not insist on staying in a space that violates the law, violates our policies, and disrupts our mission.

I want to be clear that (a) we support the right of our community to protest, (b) we will stand against non-affiliates taking over university spaces where their activities threaten our core mission, and (c) we will work with all of our students if they believe it is important for them to have an encampment space that is effective and non-disruptive.

We remain committed to collaborating with our students to maintain a safe environment that supports our core educational and research missions.

Fiat Lux,

Chancellor Howard Gillman

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So they are setting up an encampment that is unauthorized and in violation of university policies. In addition, Gillman implies that they are disruptive to adjacent classes and research facilities. But they are negotiating with the violators, both students and non-students.

That's just ducky!

Update, April 30: About 10 tents were set up and some protesters remained overnight. The mayor of Irvine, a lady named Farrah Khan, issued a statement urging people not to interfere with the protesters' First Amendment rights. That raises the question: Should violence erupt and the Campus Police need assistance, would she allow the Irvine police to assist? There was one incident several years ago when Irvine police responded to assist the campus police during an anti-Israel event, and the university had received a tip from an anonymous source that pro-Israel supporters were going to attack the event. That proved to be a false tip because the counter-protestors were made up of women and small children with Israeli flags. They marched peacefully, of course. I should note that Irvine was under a previous mayor at that time.