An Indian Student at Princeton University Arrested in the
USA for Involvement in Anti-Israel Protest
Los Angeles/Apr 26, 2024
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh
An Indian Student "Achinthya Sivalingan", found herself at the center of controversy after her arrest and subsequent banishment from Princeton University for his involvement in anti-Israel demonstrations. Hailing from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and raised in Columbus, Sivalingan faced disciplinary measures and a campus ban following his participation in protests that have swept across various educational institutions in the USA.
The demonstrations at Princeton saw around 100 undergraduate and graduate students engage in a sit-in protest at McCosh Courtyard, aligning themselves with pro-Palestinian supporters nationwide. However, tensions escalated when Princeton Public Safety (PSAFE) issued warnings to the protesters, resulting in at least two student arrests. According to reports, students risked arrest and campus banishment if they persisted after warnings, as communicated in a campus-wide message by Vice President for Campus Life W. Rochelle Calhoun.
Reflecting on the significance of the moment, Emanuelle Sippy, president of the Alliance of Jewish Progressives (AJP), emphasized the historical resonance of student movements against war and oppression. Sippy's remarks underscored the parallel drawn between current protests and past movements against apartheid, war, and injustice in American history.
Apart from Sivalingan, another student named Hassan Sayed GS was also arrested during the protests and immediately barred from campus pending disciplinary proceedings, as confirmed by University spokesperson Jennifer Morrill. However, Morrill clarified that the arrests were conducted without the use of force by Public Safety officers and without resistance from the students.
In response to the disciplinary actions, student organizers mobilized support by circulating a document on social media platforms, urging alumni and university members to protest against the measures taken by the university administration. The document highlighted the eviction of Sivalingan and Sayed from their campus housing, sparking outrage among supporters of the protests.
The wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations has reverberated across various universities in the USA, with Columbia University in New York emerging as a focal point. At Columbia, protesters have demanded the severance of ties with Israeli academic institutions and the divestment of funds from entities linked to Israel, among other demands, signaling a growing solidarity with the Palestinian cause among students nationwide.
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