What the Solidarity Encampments Demand w/ Nicki Kattoura and Charlie Markbreiter (05/01/24)
May 1, 2024
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Nicki Kattoura and Charlie Markbreiter discuss their experiences at Palestine solidarity encampments, highlighting the importance of media narratives in the ongoing crisis, advocating for a solidarity strike in higher education, and reflecting on the impact of genocide and repression. They also address the failures of institutions, financial ties vs. safety priorities, and call for solidarity and perseverance in challenging colonial violence.
Encampments serve as spaces of resistance, fostering a spirit of conviction for justice and bravery in challenging oppressive systems.
Students emphasize the urgency to act boldly in the face of genocide, pushing for meaningful divestment to end state-sponsored atrocities.
The student-led movement calls for sustained activism, linking Palestinian liberation to broader anti-colonial struggles and challenging oppressive narratives.
Deep dives
Encampments and Solidarity with Palestine at Colleges and Universities
Students across various college and university campuses globally have set up encampments in solidarity with Palestine as part of recent uprisings against genocide. These decentralized actions have seen demands for material divestment from institutions tied to perpetuating violence in Palestine. Despite demonization and crackdowns by authorities, students have stood their ground, pushing for meaningful divestment actions and highlighting the complicity of academic institutions in supporting oppression.
Risks, Bravery, and Collective Action for Ending Genocide
Amid ongoing bombings and systematic violence in Gaza, a call for risks and bravery is emphasized as essential for challenging and ending the genocide. The urgency to act as if each day of the genocide could be the last fuels the need for personal sacrifices and bold collective efforts. Encampments serve as spaces of resistance, fostering a spirit of conviction that victory is possible with determination, despite the challenging circumstances.
Countering Repression and Rewriting Narratives for Justice
The encampments challenge repression tactics and aim to dismantle fears instilled by oppressive systems. Narratives around anti-Zionism and Palestine solidarity are undergoing a significant shift, unveiling the violent realities of state-sponsored atrocities. By unmasking media distortions and engaging in political education, students and organizers resist censorship attempts and amplify demands for divestment, pushing back against normalized oppression and seeking justice for Palestine.
The Significance of Student Uprisings and Demands for Palestinian Liberation
Students across various campuses are engaging in sustained protests and encampments, emphasizing the need for continued activism beyond mere peaceful protests. The movement focuses on demands for Palestinian liberation, linking the struggle to broader calls for an end to occupation and settler colonialism. Encampments serve as hubs for activism and education, challenging institutions colluding with oppressive systems. The student-led movement demonstrates a commitment to lasting change beyond short-term actions.
Intersection of Campus Activism, Safety Concerns, and Solidarity with Global Movements
The activism on college campuses extends beyond divestment demands to address broader issues such as bathroom access as a flashpoint symbolizing control over public spaces and policing practices. The encampments promote collective safety, disability justice, and solidarity across various movements. The encampments challenge narratives that prioritize comfort over safety, highlighting connections between settler colonialism, systemic violence, and international solidarity efforts. Students are resisting counterinsurgency tactics and envisioning a movement that transcends campus boundaries to create lasting change and amplify calls for justice.
Beatrice speaks with Nicki Kattoura and Charlie Markbreiter about the proliferation of Palestine solidarity encampments, their experiences at the encampments at CUNY and at Columbia, and to share a call to action for today, May Day: strike in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
Note: This episode was recorded shortly before the coordinated raid on both the CUNY and Columbia encampments on the evening of April 30th. In our view the NYPD last night proved many of the points we make in the episode.
Full Transcript:
https://www.deathpanel.net/transcripts/solidarity-encampments
More on the call to action here: https://bit.ly/3QpTOBm
Read Nicki's piece from October 18th, mentioned at the top of the episode, "I will never be the same" here:
https://mondoweiss.net/2023/10/i-will-never-be-the-same/
Find our book Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism
Find Jules' new book, A Short History of Trans Misogyny, here:
https://www.versobooks.com/products/3054-a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny
Death Panel merch here (patrons get a discount code): www.deathpanel.net/merch
As always, support Death Panel at www.patreon.com/deathpanelpod
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