On Thursday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s” Alex Wagner Tonight”, Rep. Jamaal Bowman ( D- NY ) stated that the encampment on Columbia was” completely peaceful” and” Some of the images that we saw from UCLA and other places made it look like a bunch of disorder. However, the majority of these demonstrations are calm. When you send in lots of law enforcement officers in military garb into a college, there is both chaos and disorder.
Bowman said,” We want the rallies to remain calm. We do not need aggressive demonstrations. The Columbia camp was absolutely tranquil when I visited them last week. There was a place for mental health helps, there was a librarian, there was foods, there was caffeine, there was water, and they were crystal obvious on their needs. They are protesting the social consequence of Palestinians in Gaza.
He continued,” Some of the pictures that we saw from UCLA and other areas made it look like a bunch of illness. However, the majority of these demonstrations are calm. When you recruit dozens of law enforcement officers dressed as defense personnel into a school, there is both chaos and disorder. And we just heard reports that a gun was fired ]at ] Columbia by a member of law enforcement. That’s the only weapon that’s been fired at any opposition. And so, we need teachers and professors to perform their jobs and create areas for important dialogue, essential discussion. And we ca n’t lose sight ]of] what they’re protesting, U. S. dollars going to a country that is bombing and killing and starving children. That is what’s intolerable”.
In his opinion,” We need more peaceful protests to hold us accountable for what we should be working on in Congress.”
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