May 3, 3:05 p.m.
The Daily Illini spoke with a media representative from the encampment for updates.
**This interview has been edited for length and clarity. The individual has elected to remain anonymous for safety reasons.**
DI: Can you tell me what happened last night?
Student representative: There was an altercation with some counterprotesters, and the counterprotesters then called the police. We were a little freaked out that the police thought it was going to be related to the encampment, and they were not whatsoever. We were worried the police were going to come and raid us. We got a little spooked, but everything was resolved. They had no correlation to us, so we’re all good.
DI: Was there any sort of physical alterations?
Student representative: I think it was more just like a shout. The counterprotesters were trying to instigate something, and then they found the right guy to push up against that would give them a response.
DI: You guys have been meeting with Vice Chancellor Jim Hintz a lot these past two to three days. Can you tell me how those conversations are going?
Student representative: Yeah, we’ve just been in negotiations. He’s kind of the messenger to get through to the chancellor. We tell Hintz our demand, he goes back, (administration) responds and he comes back.
DI: Could you give me a glimpse into what your demands look like?
Student representative: Yeah, we have them posted on social media. We want complete divestment, to cut off all ties with anything related to Israel and we want amnesty for all students. We want disclosure. This is a public university, and you can easily search out where the investments go, but it is so confusing. You need the Freedom of Information Act to get into more specifics, and then when you’re there, it’s just so much editing. You would need a whole divestment research team to fully understand everything; even then, it’s still confusing because we have a lot of investments in Black Rock, but Black Rock itself does its own investments with the money. So it’s indirectly probably going to Israel, but we can’t access that as much because Black Rock controls it.
DI: Are there any negotiations or offers from their end that you guys would be willing to abide by or something you would be willing to agree with and step down from?
Student representative: I feel like when that time comes, I will probably have an answer, but as of right now, we are going to continue strong with the encampment and with our goal of divestment.
DI: Can you tell me about the speaker that was here today?
Student representative: There are always those weird speakers who come and tell everyone they’re all going to hell. One lady on the quad would come and have a big sign that said, “You’re going to hell if you’re a homo or a female.” It was literally just like that. He saw there was a big group of people there, and he took it upon himself to walk back and forth and yell stuff. They’re really hard to get rid of because this is a public university, and technically, he can be here. He was just a random person.
DI: Can you tell me how you guys feel about a state representative coming to support?
Student representative: That was really nice. I know State Representative Abdulnasser Rashid has always been very supportive. We actually brought him down last semester to talk about Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions in Illinois, so he’s always been a great support. I’m very grateful. State Representative Carol Ammons has also been a huge support. I know she’s been talking to the president and is on our side, protecting student protesters and working on any amnesty for us because we’re expressing our First Amendment rights. So yeah, it was very heartwarming. It was nice to see that we truly have the support of so many people. We have faculty, RSO and grad student support. It feels like everyone on this campus is supporting us, and I hope the admin is starting to realize that. Are they going to burn bridges with all the faculty and the facilities and services people to protect a foreign entity and continue bombing kids in Palestine? It’s nice to see and know that we have the full support of the community.
DI: Now that today is the first official day of finals, have you seen any dropping in numbers?
Student representative: Not really. I think a lot of people come during our teach-ins, so I always anticipate the numbers to come in during that time. If any of us need to study, we go somewhere safe to study, but it’s still close to the encampment. So, in case anything happens, we’re on call to come back.
