Harvard University reached an agreement with pro-Palestinian protesters who had set up an encampment on campus, ending the protest with some concessions to the protesters. The group, known as Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine (HOOP), successfully negotiated the reinstatement of 22 students who had been on involuntary leave for participating in the encampment. They also secured a meeting with university officials to discuss financial disclosure and divestment from Israel-related entities.
After 20 days, HOOP voted to end the encampment, though they expressed skepticism about the meetings and concessions, stating that they were not true victories for divestment. Harvard was able to peacefully end the protest without police intervention, unlike other universities such as Brown University, Northwestern University, and the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Harvard’s interim President Alan Garber promised to expedite reinstatement proceedings for students placed on involuntary leave and to address the cases of over 60 students charged for their involvement with the encampment. HOOP members were granted a meeting to discuss the Israel-Gaza conflict and potentially establish a center for Palestinian studies.
While students had called for divestment, the school offered a tutorial to help them understand the endowment. Garber stated that negotiations with the protesters had been avoided, and using police force would have been a last resort. With commencement approaching, the possibility of a police response loomed before the agreement was reached.
Other universities had experienced disruptions during commencement ceremonies due to pro-Palestinian protesters, as reported by the Truth Voices.
