Here we go repeatedly…
A half dozen kids at Yale University have been on an “indefinite” hunger attack” for Gaza” since last Saturday, but despite their expectations school leaders so far are declining to join with them.
According to the , Yale Daily News, the hunger strikers — affiliated with Yalies4Palestine, the school affiliate of Students for Justice in Palestine which was “deregistered” two weeks ago—” will merely take water” until Yale agrees to what they want.
” As Israel intensifies the genocide and famine in Gaza, students are committed to refusing food unless the university meets their demands”, Yalies4Palestine wrote on Instagram.
Demands include divestment from Israel, an end to the partnership with Tel Aviv University” and any fellowships that fund student travel to Israel”, a meeting with” University leadership”, a repeal of Yale’s rules that “limit peaceful protest and student advocacy”, and a guarantee “peaceful” protesters ( like themselves ) won’t be disciplined for their actions.
Yale administrator Earle Lobo initially indicated discipline is unlikely for the strikers as their protests “d]id ] not violate any University policies”. He did, however, “encourage” the strikers to consult with health professionals for the duration.
Yalies4Palestine claimed a Yale staff member joined the hunger strike on Tuesday.
As of Wednesday, Yale said no administrators would meet with the hunger strikers and warned the activists against camping out in the lobby of Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall. The strikers originally had been situated outside, but one activist said they had moved inside due to” safety” worries.
MORE: Princeton anti-Israel hunger strikers: University’ forced’ us to do this
The hunger strikers, the activist said, might have “low blood pressure]and ] could faint or have seizures if they were to abruptly stand up after sitting on the ground”.
Nevertheless, the strikers moved back outside following an ultimatum by Dean of Student Affairs Melanie Boyd.
Yalies4Palestine responded by saying “instead of meeting with students risking their lives for justice”, Yale decided to send campus police and” Free Expression Facilitators” to” surveil, harass, and intimidate” the hunger strikers.
From the , Daily News story:
Participants in the strike have been checking their blood pressure and blood sugar twice daily, a hunger striker told the News, and sending these vitals to administrators in emails each morning.
On Tuesday morning, one hunger striker’s blood sugar was at 39 milligrams per deciliter. Blood sugar content below 70 milligrams per deciliter falls in the low blood sugar category, and anything below 54 is” cause for immediate action” , , according to , the National Institute of Health. Other strikers reported instances of feeling unable to move.
Around 2 p. m. Tuesday, a medic arrived at SSS to ask if any hunger strikers needed medical attention. Strikers refused the help, instead saying that they have their own” trusted” medical professionals to examine them.
A year ago, a dozen Yale students went on a week-long hunger strike during which they lost” an average eight percent of their body weight”. The strike essentially was over the same issues but, as now, Yale did not agree to any of the students ‘ demands.
MORE: Hunger strikes by Ivy League activists somehow fail to accomplish anything
IMAGE CAPTION &, CREDIT: Yale students hold placards during their hunger strike, Vivid/X
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