Brown University has temporarily suspended its chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) following a recent protest, during which activists demonstrated against the university’s decision not to divest from companies linked to the Israeli military. The suspension, issued as the university initiates an external investigation, restricts the group’s activities, including hosting events, holding meetings, and recruiting members.
The protest saw students rally on Brown’s Main Green before marching to the Warren Alpert Medical School, where some engaged in “intimidating and harassing” actions, according to the administration. University spokesperson Brian Clark cited the severity of these actions as the basis for the suspension, clarifying that this measure does not imply a judgment on the group’s conduct but aims to allow for a thorough investigation.
In a campus-wide email, Russell Carey, Brown’s executive vice president, detailed the protestors’ reported actions, which included banging on vehicles, yelling profanities at individuals, and using a racial epithet. Carey emphasized that such behavior contravenes Brown’s Code of Student Conduct, prompting an investigation involving both the SJP chapter and individual protestors.
“As a campus community, we should be resolute that these behaviors are not acceptable, are not reflective of the Brown student body or our community as a whole, and are not commensurate with what we expect of ourselves and others,” the statement read.
In response, the Brown Divest Coalition, which includes SJP, denounced the suspension, calling it a “politically-motivated ploy to defame protestors” and claiming it undermines their advocacy for Palestinian rights. The coalition stated that prohibiting events, including their weekly vigils, significantly impacts their mission and community presence.
Brown is not alone in suspending pro-Palestinian groups; similar actions have been reported at Temple University, Rutgers, and other institutions amid heightened tensions surrounding protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
