UB faculty condemns university response to protests

Amherst, N.Y. (WBEN) - Faculty at the University at Buffalo is calling on President Satish Tripathi to dismiss charges against 15 protesters arrested during last week's protest, condemning the way it was handled by the UB administration.

Nearly 200 UB faculty signed a letter sent to President Tripathi today criticizing his administration’s handling of the peaceful protests against the war in Gaza on May 1.

"The official university policy barring overnight picketing and assembly does not mention sundown. The sundown deadline for arrest coincided with Maghrib, Muslim evening prayer, which police seemed unaware of until informed by the protestors. The rules about student protests were being updated in real time on the day of the protest, appearing discriminatory and making it difficult for even the most informed students to comply," says the letter in part.

Faculty adds in the letter the police response was large compared to the 50 protesters.

"Police cars lined the Flint loop and officers nearly outnumbered protestors. In making this decision, the University demonstrated its intolerance towards free expression and flagrant disregard for student safety," says the letter.

Faculty are calling for all charges against demonstrators to be dropped, and for the University to conduct a public review of university protocols tied to policing.