Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) hosted a vigil on Monday, Sept. 30 in the East Pyne Courtyard for the people of Palestine and Lebanon, as well as to mourn Marcellus Williams, a Missouri man whose execution last week drew criticism from some civil rights groups. The event was co-sponsored by the Princeton Arab Society and Princeton Muslim Student Association, among other student groups. Speakers gave updates on proposals sent to the Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC) regarding divestment from companies associated with Israel and warned students not to speak with the Department of Public Safety (PSAFE) in response to outreach to students involved with pro-Palestine protests on campus.
Approximately 100 people were in attendance, gathering around a microphone and set of speakers. Some carried signs, while others attending the vigil had come from a CPUC meeting where University administrators had given updates on a proposal for divestment from companies associated with Israel.
“We just heard from the Resources Committee that three and a half months after we submitted our divestment proposal, they are formally opening comments for 11 days on an online portal,” one speaker said.
On Monday, the CPUC Resources Committee formally established a process for gauging community input on the divestment proposal. Consisting of an online web form protected by a Princeton Central Authentication Service (CAS) login, the creation of the process follows months of deliberation on establishing the mechanism, which is meant to determine whether broad campus “consensus” exists on the issue.
The vigil then spoke regarding the death of Marcellus Williams, a man convicted of murdering news reporter Felicia Gayle who was executed by lethal injection last week. He maintained his innocence as Williams’s lawyers and the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney asked to halt his execution. This request was denied by the Missouri Supreme Court.
A speaker at the vigil then read “The Perplexing Smiles of the Children of Palestine,” a poem by Williams, who converted to Islam while in prison and chose to have an imam present during his execution. A moment of silence and readings from the Quran followed.
The vigil also acknowledged violence occurring in Lebanon, where the Israeli military launched several strikes over the weekend after an Israeli air strike killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Israel’s activity in Lebanon follows air strikes launched by Hezbollah targeting numerous military installations in Northern Israel.
Another speaker read a letter addressed to Princeton and President Eisgruber.
“I hope this university is not so naive to think that their supposed neutrality absolves them from this situation, this supposed complex situation that they have not picked a side,” the speaker said. “You have picked a side.”
“Not only are you a part of this genocide, you are also guilty of another sin, a sin that endangers the very students you so very claim to protect so dearly, the sin of bearing the status of custodians and upholders of human service while supporting of human service while supporting the genocide of thousands of Muslims,” the speaker added.
At the end of the vigil, a representative from Princeton Israeli Apartheid Divest (PIAD) made several announcements.
“We’ve heard that some students and members of the university community have been called in for extrajudicial questioning by the Department of Public Safety. We just want to let everyone know that you are abundantly within your rights to refuse such a meeting,” the speaker said.
The announcement follows an Instagram post from PIAD’s account alleging that PSAFE is contacting students in relation to their activities at pro-Palestine protests on campus. The post instructs students to decline such requests and to reach out to PIAD.
Later that evening, SJP sent an email to student listservs announcing future events, including a “die-in” at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5 in Firestone Plaza and a “study-in” in Firestone’s Trustee Reading Room from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6.
Isabella Dail is a staff News writer and head editor for The Prospect for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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