Student Occupation Shuts Down Cal Poly Humboldt

The community group Humboldt for Palestine relayed a message from students calling for support earlier this evening (April 23):

Calling on all students and community members! The occupation by Cal Poly Humboldt students is still ongoing and they need your support. Yesterday they and those showing up to be witnesses were met with violence by UPD and APD. This is a peaceful protest and the students would like it to stay that way. Our collective community power demanded the police to leave and they did. Let’s continue to show up to protect these students as they demand that Cal Poly Humboldt divest from “israeli” occupation and the ongoing genocide. Go to the campus as soon as you can!

Student demands:
We will not negotiate us leaving until they divest. After that is met, then we will have further demands. But we are not leaving or moving or talking until they have completely divested from israel.

Keep the momentum going, but stay focused. The liberation of Palestine is the focal point of this work at this time. Divest, sanction, embargo “israel.” Free Palestine from the river to the sea.


On April 22, Humboldt for Palestine relayed the students' initial demands:

Their demands as we understand them are as follows:

1. For CPH to disclose all holdings and collaborations with the zionist entity.
2. Academic Boycott, cut all ties with israeli universities.
3. Divest from all ties to the zionist entity including companies complicit in the occupation of Palestine.
4. To drop all charges and attacks on student organizers.
5. An immediate ceasefire and end to the occupation of Palestine. Students are requesting support as follows: Bodies to join them in the occupation of Siemens hall.

Students, faculty, and community members to immediately call the university and UPD and pressure them to deescalate, allow the students to protest peacefully. You can contact UPD at 707-826-5555 and demand these students are allowed to express their first amendment rights!



On April 22, Cal Poly Humboldt issued the following press release in response:

Several protesters are occupying Siemens Hall, an academic and administrative building on campus. Campus is closed through Wednesday, April 24 for the safety of the campus community.

The University is deeply worried about the safety of the students who remain in the building.

The University is urgently asking that the students listen to directives from the law enforcement that has responded and peacefully leave the building.

Students and others are advised to avoid the area of the building, as it is a dangerous situation.

Several protestors inside have barricaded themselves inside the building with furniture, vandalized parts of the building, and blocked entrances and elevators with tents, violating fire codes and creating extreme safety hazards for those inside.

The situation began at approximately 4:50 p.m. when University Police received reports of dozens of protesters occupying the building.

Classes in Siemens Hall were canceled, and the five courses that were in progress were evacuated. The building was shut down after protesters refused to leave voluntarily.


More info at Humboldt for Palestine:
https://www.instagram.com/humboldtforpalestine/

Photo Credit: CrimethInc.
https://crimethinc.com/2024/04/23/report-from-within-the-cal-poly-humboldt-occupation-the-occupation-of-siemens-hall