Despite the restrictions, protesters made their presence known by wearing red syntax gloves and chanting “UH your hands are red, 40,000 people are dead,” as the board members made their way outside the meeting room.| Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
On Wednesday afternoon, the UH System Board of Regents met at UH-Downtown’s Travis and Milam Rooms for their quarterly meeting.
However, the meeting was overshadowed by the Pro-Palestine protesters, who despite not being allowed in the room due to overcrowding, used the open forum to call on the board to divest from Israel.
More than 100 protestors along with the members of the Students for Justice in Palestine HTX, were at the Board of Regents meeting urging the board to divest from weapons manufacturing companies that supply the Israeli military with weapons.
“I’m sure you’re sick and tired of ways to find excuses to relinquish yourself from responsibility, but allow me to make it clear: Your students are sick and tired of you,” said SJP representative and computer science senior Reem Abdelaziz. “Your students are not convinced by your insincere explanation as to why your hands are tied.”
The seven student speakers along with a faculty member urged the board to “divest from death” and called on their morals to consider the issue at a future meeting.
“President Renu, you continue to drive us forward and tell us to be among leading institutions,” said student and speaker Belal Salama. “It’s not about profitability, it’s about morals. I ask you, please, we need to be leading in our moral and ethical values.”
In addition to the calls for divest, the speakers also voiced their fear of how their freedom of expression was under attack, as they continued to be a voice against Israel.
Palestinian-American student and recent graduate Leaila Hammad told the regents that despite being a recent graduate from the University, the accomplishment is just another grim reminder of how many of her family members will never graduate from kindergarten, let alone a university.
“Not only has Israel stolen my family from me, they have stolen my right to even speak about my own pain through extensive lobbying across the US to smear anyone who condemns their actions as wrong,” Hammad said. “It’s an attack on our most basic American right, our freedom of speech and the University of Houston has been complacent in this attack when students decided to pitch a Gaza solidarity encampment. The university wasted no time to arrest student protesters.”
Last week, two students were arrested at an encampment at UH that was dismantled by the police within hours of being set up.
The Student Government Association passed two resolutions that have called on the University to divest funds from companies that provide and support Israel in its war on Palestine.
The most recent resolution which was passed last week also condemned Texas’s governor Gregg Abbott’s executive order which singled out Pro-Palestine student organizations and mandated Texas universities to revise their free speech policy.
Despite these resolutions, the board did not put any form of divestment resolution on their agenda. However, they did hear the students’ concerns and thanked them for their comments.
“On behalf of the Board of Regents, I’d like to thank you all for coming forward today and addressing the board. Thank y’all for your input and being so respectful. We appreciate it,” said UH Chairman Tilman Fertitta.
Although SJP has continued to urge the University to divest from weapons manufacturing companies that supply the Israeli military with weapons, Texas laws prohibit them from doing so.
State law prohibits government entities from investing or entering contracts with companies that boycott Israel and certain energy companies as well as companies that discriminate against firearm and ammunition companies.
“While we appreciate our students exercising their free speech on issues important to them, the divestment demands made by student organizations would be inconsistent with Texas law. These actions are not under consideration,” University spokesperson Kevin Quinn said. “Texas state agencies, including public universities, are forbidden from engaging in such boycotts or contracting with companies that do.”
No one was allowed in the meeting room except for the presenters and members of the board. The protesters and some members of The Cougar were in an overflow room due to limited seating in the meeting room, according to office personnel.
More than 100 protestors along with the members of the Students for Justice in Palestine HTX, were at the Board of Regents meeting wearing “Free Palestine ” shirts or keffiyehs.|Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
There was an increased police presence at the meeting. However, they did not take any action against the protesters and just stood by.
In addition to that, there were notices around the room advising the protesters that signs were not allowed in accordance with UH-Downtown, Freedom of Expression code PS 04.A.08.
Despite the restrictions, the protesters made their presence known by wearing red syntax gloves and chanting “UH your hands are red, 40,000 people are dead,” as the board members made their way outside the meeting room.
