Pro-Palestinian protesters try to stop painters from covering up their graffiti – Then find out what happens – MUST SEE VIDEO | The Gateway expert

Pro-Palestinian protesters were spray-painted early Tuesday morning by a contractor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, as they stood in front of a Spirit Wall on campus that had been hijacked by Hamas supporters who had painted it over with anti-Israel messages . . The protesters, wearing clear plastic face shields, stood right in front of the wall in an attempt to prevent the contractors from doing their work. A pro-Hamas encampment at CWRU is now entering its second week.

Video from the school’s Students for Justice in Palestine group shows one of the contractors spray-painting the protesters, while one is covered in white paint. The group pposted the video on Instagram with the message in near capital letters: “Around 5 AM THIS MORNING, STUDENTS ARE SPRAYED WITH PAINT AS CONTRACTORS CALLED BY CWRU TRY TO COVER THE GHOST WALL. Later, closer to noon, they covered the entire wall with paint. THE STUDENTS FOLLOWED THE SPIRIT WALL POST POLICY, AND THE ADMIN STILL HAD A PROBLEM. The lengths this university goes to defend Zionist genocidal interests are insane.”

Copy of the Instagram video:

Contractors hired to paint at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio decided that protesters would not stop them from doing their work today pic.twitter.com/QuF6tsJnj4

— Dixie (@OSiiNT) May 7, 2024

Video posted by Cleveland.com

Case Western Reserve University President Eric Kaler issued a statement on Wednesday denouncing the spraying of the demonstrators:

An update on an incident last night at the Spirit Wall
To the Case Western Reserve community:

Earlier today I wrote to you that the university was investigating an incident in which an individual who was painting the writings of protesters on the Spirit Wall struck student protesters with paint. I have watched video footage showing students blocking the wall while an outside contractor sprays directly at protesters while attempting to paint the wall, and I am disturbed by what has happened.

Let me be clear: no student – ​​or any individual – should ever be treated this way, especially on a campus where our core values ​​are focused on providing a safe, welcoming environment. This is not who we are as an institution, and I am deeply sorry that this ever happened.

The University will continue to fully investigate these actions and hold individuals accountable for this behavior, including the failure of our own officers to intervene.

I would like to once again express my sincere regret for this incident. As with any breach of our codes of conduct, we will take action to hold them accountable.

Honestly,

Eric W. Kaler
President

Caler previously issued a statement criticized protesters for painting “threatening, intimidating and anti-Semitic” messages on campus walls.

Tackling intimidating speech on university grounds: May 7, 2024
To the Case Western Reserve community,

I fully support the rights of individuals to share their views, in accordance with our freedom of expression policy. However, that policy – ​​and the core values ​​that define our university – have been continuously violated over the past eight days, including yesterday afternoon when protesters in the unsanctioned encampment at the Kelvin Smith Library Oval painted a wall of interest at Eldred Hall using the language of the University administration and many members of our community view this as threatening, intimidating and anti-Semitic.

As I have repeatedly noted, constructive, meaningful exchanges should never involve intimidation, incitement, or behavior that threatens and intimidates our community. I strongly condemn the language posted on the Advocacy Wall yesterday, and want to reiterate to our entire community that such language – regardless of who it is directed at – will not be tolerated on our campus.

After breaching the advocacy wall, protesters later that evening painted the spirit wall at Thwing Center with language that was less threatening, but still intimidating to some in our community. The university has painted over the advocacy wall and will complete painting the spiritual wall this morning. The university is investigating an incident in which one or more protesters blocking the ghost wall were hit by paint.

The students involved in yesterday’s mural and those who continue to violate university policy by remaining in an unapproved encampment on private property will be held fully accountable for their actions during the conduct process. Any faculty and staff members who participate in activities that violate the free speech policy – ​​which is what this camp does – will also have to go through a conduct process. The actions of all participants, both within and outside the CWRU community, may also violate criminal or civil law.

I understand and appreciate the importance of advocating for a cause that is deeply personal and undeniably tragic, such as the war between Israel and Hamas and the resulting loss of life in Israel and Gaza. But the case is most compelling when it goes back to the core values ​​on which Case Western Reserve operates, including responsibility, civility and ethical behavior. I urge the student protesters to remove the encampment and begin the student conduct process.

Honestly,

Eric W. Kaler

Cleveland’s mayor and chief of police issued a joint statement: reported WOIO-TV:

Mayor Justin Bibb and Chief Annie Todd respond to recent incidents on the CWRU campus

In light of the recent video that emerged from the CWRU campus showing individuals being painted over with spray paint, it is critical that we express our position unequivocally.

Cleveland is a city for everyone, and we must respect the thoughts, feelings and voices of people from different backgrounds. These diverse perspectives make us special and ultimately stronger as a city. Our community deserves venues where they have the opportunity to constitutionally openly express their opinions without fear of criminal interference. We support First Amendment rights and implore CWRU leadership to consider this and reflect on how the decisions they make and the actions they take – especially against those who are law abiding – play a part in will influence the progress we have made together as a city. At the same time, we urge individuals to demonstrate peacefully.

We want to be clear that we condemn all forms of violence and that the police stand ready to provide support if it does happen. Public safety is and will remain our first priority.

Mayor Bibb and Chief Todd

WOIO also reported a student protester named Raissa who complained about the incident:

“It was a pressurized paint gun that sprayed harmful chemicals directly with carcinogens and toxins, without concern for the health or well-being of any person paying to be here,” Raissa said.

“We had a number of students who spoke to the police: how can they do this. The painters were as if they were following orders. The police said we were following orders from higher authorities and I don’t think they thought about the morality of what they were doing,” Raissa said.

Video of the encampment, posted early Monday:

Case Western Reserve University issued a dispersal order Thursday. It looks like the protesters have doubled their profits by taking over the entire mall. Tensions are rising as I was met for the first time by about ten non-hostile protesters who asked me for identification. pic.twitter.com/272W90wM84

— Dan Stamness (@DStamness) May 6, 2024

The campus protest continued on Wednesday evening:

On day 11 of their encampment, Case Western Reserve students staged a sit-in outside the university’s administration building. pic.twitter.com/kwpbTvw66v

— Samer Badawi (@readsamerbadawi) May 9, 2024