Hamas Backers Test New Tactic - Intimidate University Trustees

WASHINGTON - Sept. 22, 2024 - PRLog -- University students who support Hamas are testing a  potentially even more effective tactic than encampments in support of their demands at George Washington University [GWU] reports public interest law professor John Banzhaf.

Having found that pressuring university presidents and top administrators has not achieved their objectives, activists - including students from many other area universities, in addition to GWU, and also outside agitators - have just gone far beyond their previous illegal actions and begun attacking and threatening the individual members of GWU's Board of Trustees.

Thus they have taken what seems to be the most logical next step because it is the trustees - not the presidents, key administrators, or faculty - who have the final word on university policy; not only regarding divestment, but also what student protests will be permitted, whether those who violate university policy and often also the criminal law will be disciplined, what level of harassment of Jewish students will be tolerated, etc.

Since trustees are less likely than presidents to give in to pressure by encampments and other common tactics - because they do not answer to students, faculty, or even alumni, and they aren't directly affected by disruptions on campus - students are trying to intimidate them by going to the homes where they and their families live and causing both harm and fear.

Even more frightening, they are warning trustees that they will be held accountable for "Murder" and other crimes, "will know no peace," and may be attacked at their homes and offices, notes Banzhaf.

More specifically, with virtually no public notice, much less outrage and push back, they have just spray-painted in front of the homes of many members of GWU's Board of Trustees, including its chairwoman, signs reading "Stop Funding Genocide" and "Disclose Divest Now."

In addition, the students sent letters addressed to neighbors of each Trustee warning: "Danger: War Criminal Lives in This Area."  Included in the letters were photos of the Board members and their families, says Banzhaf.

Law professor Banzhaf notes that D.C. Criminal Code § 22-407 makes it a crime to utter words likely to cause the "ordinary hearer" to reasonably believe that the threatened harm would take place, and that the defendant intended to utter the words as a threat.

Perhaps this most recent action threatening Trustees and their families will prompt GWU to take these Hamas supporters and the dangers they pose more seriously; something which they have not done even though demonstrations and disruptions started up again on the very first day of classes at GWU, says Banzhaf.

http://banzhaf.net/   jbanzhaf3ATgmail.com   @profbanzhaf