The University of Washington witnessed a major protest leading to the arrest of over two dozen pro-Palestinian protestersafter they occupied an engineering building of the university, partially funded by Boeing, demanding that the university sever its ties with Boeing, as it is supplying weapons used in Gaza.Videos of masked protesters vandalizing the campus are viral.Victor Balta, a spokesperson for the university, said the occupation of the engineering building began after the building closed at 5 pm. “Individuals who mostly covered their faces blocked access to two streets outside the building, blocked entrances and exits to the building and ignited fires in two dumpsters on a street outside,” Balta said in a statement to CNN.Protesters demanded renaming the engineering building after a teenage engineering student who was killed in an airstrike in Faza. Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return, a student group advocating for Palestinian rights, organized the protest. It urged the protesters to wear a mask and cover their identifiable features. The group was long suspended from the university.“The University will not be intimidated by this sort of offensive and destructive behavior and will continue to oppose antisemitism in all its forms,” the university said. The university spokesperson said “about 30 individuals” inside the building were arrested. Charges including trespassing, property destruction, disorderly conduct and conspiracy will be referred to county prosecutors, the spokesperson said, noting any students among them will also be referred to the Student Conduct Office.The University of Washington is among those colleges in the US that saw long-running protests on the campus last year.
Boeing comes under the target
Boeing, an airplane manufacturer and one of the largest defense companies in the United States, has a long history with the University of Washington. The company, which previously was headquartered in Seattle, supplied about $10 million as a donation to aid in the construction of the $90 million engineering building, the school said in 2022, prior to construction. “Return any existing donations, financial investments, and eliminate all other material ties to Boeing,” the protesters said. “Prohibit Boeing executives and employees from teaching classes or having any influence over curriculum.”
