It’s yet one more second crying out for accountability.
Thirty-one protesters have been arrested on the College of Washington on Monday after occupying an engineering constructing, setting fires and damaging 4 manufacturing machines, every valued at $35,000 to $120,000.
The purpose, apparently, was to demand the UW minimize ties with Boeing for its relationship with Israel and to “repurpose the constructing,” in keeping with a consultant of College students United for Palestinian Equality and Return UW. The group additionally used the chance to name the Oct. 7 assaults in opposition to Israel a “heroic victory.”
Sufficient.
For the reason that struggle in Gaza started in 2023, campus has been roiled with protests, antisemitic graffiti and property destruction.
After the incident this week, The Instances editorial board requested the UW whether or not any pupil confronted self-discipline for property injury related to a takeover of President Ana Mari Cauce’s workplace in 2023; greater than $14,000 of injury to the Husky Union Building in 2024; or final 12 months’s campus encampment that devolved into threats in opposition to Jewish college students and messages comparable to “kill your native colonizer” scrawled on campus buildings.
The UW didn’t reply. Too unhealthy it didn’t take the chance to set the document straight.
Protesters put on masks, and, to this point, that has been sufficient to stymie investigations that might result in private culpability. However now, lastly, there have been arrests.
Expenses are anticipated to be filed by the King County Prosecuting Lawyer’s Workplace.
“We’re working with legislation enforcement and thru our own disciplinary processes to make sure these accountable face applicable penalties for his or her actions,” mentioned Cauce in a blog post.
The group is watching. This college’s course of should be clear and significant.
And what of the property injury the protesters induced? At a time when UW is dealing with a tough monetary state of affairs and considering widespread cuts, who’s going to pay? Taxpayers? Or ought to engineering college students merely go with out as a result of a handful of black-clad vandals wished to make an announcement?
The issue for police and prosecutors is proving that particular people induced particular injury. After a conviction, a decide might impose restitution. It could possible by no means be paid, however a lien on somebody’s credit score is a sobering consideration.
When the defendants put on masks, it’s onerous to know who did what. Thus, they might not face fees stiffer than misdemeanors for prison trespass. Too unhealthy.
“I totally and at all times assist folks’s proper to protest and to specific their views. Certainly it’s foundational to our democracy,” mentioned Lawyer Basic Nick Brown in an announcement, noting that UW is a shopper of the company. “However everybody has a proper to be secure on campus and UW should implement the legislation.”
Implement the legislation. Thus far, protesters have been in a position to work the system. Now the system should work, or UW will expertise a disaster of group confidence which may be rather more pricey than broken machines.
