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NYU Students Occupying Kimmel Center Cafeteria
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 19, 2009
Modified Feb 19, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 19, 2009
Modified Feb 19, 2009
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At 10:00 p.m. last night, some 70 students from NYU and the New School barricaded themselves inside a cafeteria on the third floor of NYU's Kimmel Center. The group, which includes members of "Take Back NYU!", is vowing to extend the occupation "indefinitely" until the university's administrators comply with a series of demands "to make our school more democratic, accountable and socially just."
Demand #1, of course, is "amnesty for all parties involved in the protest." After that, they also require a full and annual reporting of the university's operating budget, expenditures and endowment; tuition stabilization for all students; and public access to the Bobst Library. They're also demanding that NYU offer 13 scholarships annually to students from the Gaza Strip and give surplus supplies to the Islamic University of Gaza.
Last December New School students occupied a cafeteria at their school to protest President Bob Kerrey. Like that occupation, this one comes with a blog, and, for your viewing pleasure, two live webcams, where you can watch the kids troubleshoot software problems, make signs, and strategize—though some commenters on the site are outraged that the sound is sometimes muted for "security." Others aren't too crazy about the production values: "Somebody MOVE THAT CHAIR and leave us the view - PLEASE." As for the live blog, an 8 a.m. post from embedded student reporter Charlie Eisenhood reads: "I’m kinda hoping a SWAT team busts in. That’d be crazy." Just PLEASE move the CHAIR when they start cracking skulls!!!
Below, video of students barricading the doors last night to the tune of "Let's Do the Time Warp Again" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Tagged
demand
israel
new school
new york university
NYU
occupy
palestine
protest
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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