On Monday, September 30, at 12:30 p.m., in front of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Student Union Building and in the Campus Center, opponents and allies protested the partnership between industrial companies and the University of Massachusetts during the Engineering Career Fair.
Massachusetts Amherst Opposition, Massachusetts Amherst Palestine Justice Students, Massachusetts Amherst GEO Palestine Solidarity Caucus, and the Massachusetts Amherst Young Communist League announced calls for protests on Instagram. They called for an end to partnerships with industrial companies such as Raytheon and General Dynamics, and “increased life-sustaining employment opportunities” for students.
Members of the organization marched from the student union to the campus center, using megaphones to spread the word. The organizations were then asked to leave by the university’s demonstration response safety team.
“The demonstration did not disperse,” university spokeswoman Melinda Rose said in an emailed statement to the university. “The university only required that no amplified sound be used indoors, which was disrupting career fairs and other operations in the campus center.” Rose said these are not new policies. emphasized.
According to the university’s picketing policy, all students, unless the demonstration disrupts the time, place, or “substantial type of conduct” of classes or other university business, or does not involve significant disruption or infringement. have the right to demonstrate on university premises. rights of others. ”
The definition of interference according to university guidelines includes “the use of loudspeakers or other devices that emit loud or amplified sounds in a manner that interferes with academic or administrative activities of the university.” I am.
At 1:30 p.m., demonstrators re-entered the Campus Center without their amplification devices. Half of the members remained in front of the information desk and sat silently, while the remaining members moved to the basement and stood at the entrance to the engineering career fair.
Joseph Van Alen, associate director of career analysis and communications, said the protesters “were treated with great respect.” During the career fair, protesters handed out flyers and spoke with company representatives seated at tables.
A flyer was handed out to Krishna Vijayakumar, a Massachusetts alumnus and representative from General Dynamics.
“We kind of expected (the protests). We’ve heard about the protesters before, but it’s nothing special.”
The college student contacted Raytheon Technology Corporation (RTX) at a career fair and was directed to contact RTX’s PR team. As of this article’s publication, RTX had not responded to Universityman’s email attempts.
Some attendees said they barely noticed the protest outside the campus center auditorium. Many of them had been in the auditorium since 12pm and didn’t notice anything until they were told by a friend who came into the venue later in the afternoon.
James Buckley, a junior majoring in biomedical engineering, saw some of the protesters walking through the auditorium. “I didn’t expect this to happen (Monday), but given all the protests that happened last semester, I wouldn’t be surprised if this day ends.”
After the demonstrators left the fair, many made their way down the street and sat in the middle of the floor near the information desk or at the entrance to the escalator leading underground. Jeff Hecock, executive director of EH&S and emergency management, asked protesters to leave space for passersby. “Do you always sit in the middle of the aisle?”
Buckley said as the protests continued. Your words will get through, but at the same time you will be giving as much hate as you are giving love. ”
Contact Kalina Kornacki at (email protected) or follow her on Twitter @KalinaKornacki.
