SJP to hold press conference at encampment after alleged 'lies' and difficulty meeting administrator | Mobile

Students for Justice in Palestine at Wayne State University invited WSU administrators to a public meeting at the encampment Wednesday at 6 p.m. SJP confirmed that the administration did not show up.

Following this, the SJP announced that a press conference would take place on Thursday, May 30 at 10 a.m.

“Students at Wayne State University in the Liberation Zone are holding a press conference to denounce recent lies spread by the university administration and to emphasize their willingness to meet with the administration to advance their demands for divestment from the University of Arms Manufacturing Companies,” a press release from the camp said. . “Students seek to clarify the facts regarding the administration's allegations of 'security concerns.'

WSU Vice President for Government and Community Affairs Patrick Lindsey invited encampment representatives to a meeting yesterday at 4 p.m. with himself, President Kimberly Andrews Espy, Ph.D., and President of the Board of Governors Shirley Stancato. Camp representatives declined the meeting, according to a video emailed to campus Tuesday evening.

SJP posted a response to the email on Instagram. The post states that SJP contacted an administration representative on Tuesday at 5 p.m., once the representatives SJP sought at the meeting had been prepared.

“Not only did the administration completely reject students' desire to have the right representatives, they also ignored students who were looking to come together,” an SJP Instagram post said Tuesday evening.

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Detroit Democrat, posted a video at the encampment saying SJP attempted to meet with the board later than when Lindsey told students they could meet.

“I saw them say 'we're missing two students, can you give us some time?' Then they (the students) texted the contact person at his (Espy's) office and told him they were ready at 6 p.m. Tlaib said. “Guess what? She makes a statement and lies about her own student body.

For several days, camp members have met with WSU Vice President of Government and Community Affairs Patrick Lindsey. Although the University has repeatedly stated that the encampment must be removed, members of the encampment told Lindsay that they will not leave until the University divests.

“Instead of waging psychological warfare with your students, you should be brave and meet with them and listen to them,” one camp member said in an Instagram post Tuesday evening.

Espy sent an email Wednesday evening to the campus community informing them that remote operations would continue and that there was a new university webpage explaining the investments.

“Today we released a new webpage that summarizes information about our endowment investments to inform our ongoing dialogue,” Espy said in the email.

Espy planned to attend Mackinac's political conference this week but decided not to go and is currently on campus, Associate Vice President for University Communications Matt Lockwood said in an email to at The South End on Wednesday evening.

“She (Espy) should be here to engage, make sure these students are safe and feel seen and heard,” Tlaib said on Instagram. “We are a diverse campus on the WSU campus. I know this may be new to her, but it's a responsibility for her to put students first.

The South End will continue to report on this ongoing story.

Akeel Ahmed is the editor-in-chief of The South End. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Natalie Davies is co-editor of The South End. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Cover photo by Tayler Simpson