University of Washington campus rocked by massive student protests: Learn their demands

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have significantly increased across the US on dozens of college campuses. They are raging against a backdrop of an ongoing Israel-Hamas fighting – claiming tens of thousands of lives and exacerbating the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

But they are certainly not the only protests being held on the University of Washington campus by students in Seattle. On Monday, multiple demonstrators began camping in the UW Quad, seeking to fill up the campus until their demands are met.

Learn demands of UW student protesters

Thousands of students have already been arrested at Columbia University, UCLA and many more schools. Officials at UW say they are monitoring the situation, but protesters are pressing on not leaving their positions until the university meets their demands, such as

1. End the repression of pro-Palestinian faculty and staff

2. Divest from Israel and genocide profiteers

3. Sever ties with Boeing

4. Fair contract for academic student employees (ASE)

Some of these demands match those of other university protests. But the request concerning Boeing is quite unique. Moreover, the university is not expected to pause financial relationships as the plane company has donated millions to it in the past.

Numbers obtained by FOX 13 Seattle suggest that less than a couple of years ago, Boeing donated $10 million to UW to build an engineering building. But Portland State University – receiving relatively less in donation from the company – has paused ties.

Academic student employees staging demonstrations

In a different demonstration, several academic student employees at UW recently held a sit-in protest in Bagley Hall, calling for a fair contract as negotiations with the university officials continued. Things have been tough for the group.

These students, playing the role of teaching assistants, researchers, tutors and graders, are part of UAW Local 4121 – the union hoping to increase the proposed wage for ASEs with adequate benefits. The university and union hope to reach a better deal soon.

Joe Biden condemning college protests

The Gaza crisis erupted on October 7 as Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking several others hostages. In response, the Israeli military has claimed over 34,000 Palestinian lives and injured many more.

US President Joe Biden said “order must prevail” on university campuses in the country, just hours after police arrested at least 132 student protesters at UCLA early on Thursday and cleared out a protest encampment in support of Palestinians.