In this photo contributed by Oregon State University student Mya Kraus, students protesting the war in Gaza are chained to a campus administration building. Student-protesters began a 100-hour protest on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
Courtesy Mya Kraus
Student protesters at Oregon State University have ended a five-day “lock-on” demonstration at a campus administration building. But they have no plans to stop demonstrations at OSU in the future.
Following a rally last Thursday, a group of five OSU students wrapped chains around their waists and locked themselves to two concrete pillars outside the main entrance of the university’s Kerr Administration Building, which houses the office of the president. Throughout the demonstration, protesters largely did not block the entrance to the building.
One hundred hours later, on Monday, the students unlocked themselves and removed the chains from the pillars.
“From the start, we were going to go for 100 hours,” said Masha, an OSU student and spokesperson for the protesters who declined to use their last name. “We wanted to end it on our own terms instead of being forced into it.”
The central message of the demonstration was to show the commitment of student-protesters to push for an end to violence in Gaza and to hold the OSU administration accountable for its previous actions against protesters, Masha said.
The “lock-on” is the latest action by OSU students protesting the war in Gaza. A coalition of student and faculty groups have held rallies, teach-ins, sit-ins and other actions throughout this school year. It culminated in a tent encampment at the university’s Memorial Union Quad last month. Demonstrators have continued to occupy a camp this month, but they moved their tents to a different part of campus on May 29.
According to previous reporting from KLCC, students were given several deadlines to disperse the encampment. Many of those who chose not to leave were reported to the university’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards for violating the student code of conduct.
In this photo contributed by Oregon State University student Mya Kraus, students gather outside an administration building to protest the war in Gaza. Student protesters chained themselves in a 100-hour protest, starting Thursday, June 6, 2024.
Courtesy Mya Kraus
The coalition’s 12 demands focus on four main ideas: granting full amnesty to OSU’s students and faculty who have been charged with violating university policies at protests; a public statement from OSU denouncing the war and calling for an immediate ceasefire; transparency and accountability regarding OSU’s financial investments; and the development of curriculum, scholarships and fellowships to support a comprehensive understanding of conflicts in the Middle East. On May 21, OSU sent a proposal to student protesters that met or partially fulfilled several of their demands.
The presidents of Portland State University and the University of Oregon made similar partial compromises with student protesters on their campuses.
But students involved with the OSU coalition say the offer, as well as previous bargaining, was non-negotiable. Protesters have not met with top leaders like OSU President Jayathi Murthy or Provost Edward Feser in a face-to-face negotiation, according to the coalition.
“Many students have been expressing their support and not even a negotiation has been given to us,” said Masha. “So we’re feeling very dismissed and unheard by the administration.”
OSU administrators provided OPB a copy of their updated proposal to the protester’s demands, but they declined to comment further.
OSU’s spring term ends this week but individual actions from student protesters could still come. Several college graduation ceremonies across the U.S. have seen disruptions ranging from mass walkouts to the waving of Palestinian flags. OSU’s commencement ceremony is scheduled for Saturday morning at Reser Stadium. PSU and UO’s commencements are also scheduled for this weekend.
