WASHINGTON — On the 12th day of protests at George Washington University, students held a news conference to reject statements that University President Ellen Granberg made in her letter to the community on Sunday.
In the letter, she called the encampment "unlawful" and says the school has conducted regular and sustained dialogue with the GW students connected to the camp. She says so far, all of these efforts have failed to close the encampment or deter the protestors from escalating the situation.
But according to students, that's not true.
"We have been open to negotiating with her since day one and she’s rejected that," said a student who only wanted to go by Selina. "I mean, she hasn’t even stepped foot on this encampment once and I think that’s very telling to what the president really wants here is for us to get out."
University officials gave WUSA9 the following statement:
I can confirm that university officials have been meeting with protesters regularly.
The President noted: We have offered an alternative demonstration site, requested the assistance of the DC Metropolitan Police Department, erected barriers to contain the protest, initiated academic and administrative consequences for trespassing GW students, expanded our security resources and personnel, and conducted regular and sustained dialogues with GW students connected to the camp. So far, all of these efforts have failed to end the encampment or deter the protesters from escalating the situation.
This includes staff members and representatives from the administration.
But students tell us, they're still not satisfied, even with news of a possible cease-fire in Gaza.
"So while we are here hoping for a cease-fire immediately, we have so many people in here who are Palestinian who have loved ones in Gaza who are in imminent danger," said a student named Miriam. "We are fighting for a cease-fire, but we’re also fighting for our demands beyond that."