Harvard students accuse university of breaking their agreement by placing dozens on probation
CAMBRIDGE - Harvard students rallied Sunday, accusing the university of breaking their agreement by placing dozens of protesters on probation, preventing several from graduating.
Shouting proudly, pro-Palestinian supporters rallied at the entrance to Harvard Yard. The rally was led by Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine, or HOOP.
Students said they're being prevented from graduating
The rally was to support Harvard students who were involved in the pro-Palestinian encampment. They said they're now being prevented from graduating. During the rally, protesters read a letter from Harvard students, who remained anonymous.
"I will not be allowed to walk with a degree in hand for standing up consistently and proudly for veritas," the protester read. "Veritas" is Latin for truth and is also Harvard's motto.
Harvard students took down their encampment last week and said the school agreed to retract suspension notices that were issued. Harvard said that isn't accurate and that discipline and suspensions are up to the individual schools.
"It's my right to get my diploma"
Hanan Wuhush is a Palestinian graduate student at Harvard. She said she will take part in the commencement but the degree itself holds little value right now.
"It's my right to get my diploma, I'm a student here, I paid crazy tuition, all that stuff," said Wuhush. "The diploma is irrelevant, it's the person."
From Harvard Yard, the group marched a few blocks to Hawthorne Street to interim President Alan Garber's residence and then to the Cambridge Common.
"These students have been advocates, they've been at the forefront of demanding that the university divest and they've been advocates for justice and we see what happens when students do that at this university," said Wuhush.
Cambridge Police said there was no arrests.
