I was at both the Emerson and Northeastern encampments when they were raided by police. I also wrote a book on the Russian student movement.
Here are 12 lessons I think we can draw so far from the student uprising🧵
Henry De Growth 🌱 🍉
2,324 posts
Henry De Growth 🌱 🍉
@DeGreat4
Fmr. Digital Team @ ConnollyForPresident ; Founder @WorkingMassMag ; Writing on labor, socialism, & the CIA. Brother of @sadurn__
- The police raid started at 2am, after the news cameras had gone home. Most did not hear the dispersal order. BPD stormed both entrances, and within 90 seconds it was over. Peaceful students arrested for no reason. Heroic students arrested for justice. #CeasefireNOW #ShameOnWu
00:00 - My local won the first ruling under Cemex!
- Replying to @DeGreat41. Raise a Camp Putting up tents turns a protest into an organizing hub. Once tents are up, admin and authorities face tremendous pressure from right wing donors, politicians, and the media to act. This forces them to overreact, expanding the struggle to #FreePalestine
- Replying to @DeGreat43. Make It Beautiful We are building the world we wish to see. Painting banners, chalking, sharing food, singing, organizing dances, etc are all great ways to build unity and pass the hours. It is also important to have messaging and demands visible for when the news comes.
- New members added in the ten biggest DSA chapters in June ~~~~ New York: 895 At-Large: 224 Los Angeles: 210 Metro DC: 127 Portland: 100 Chicago: 97 Seattle: 79 Boston: 75 Philly: 73 Atlanta: 69 (nice)
- Replying to @DeGreat42. Defend The Camp Immediately set up a shift schedule, and recruit a committed team for overnights, when the camp is most vulnerable. Whether the camp chooses to embrace mass arrest or not, defending the camp forces an escalation with police.
- Every DSA chapter could have a local press like @dsaworkingmass! Your chapter can print full-color magazines easily for under $1, with less than a $500 in investment in equipment. Happy to help any comrade anywhere get their local publication started. DM me.
- Replying to @DeGreat44. Expect the Unexpected At both NU and Emerson the police built up a large presence off site before arriving en mass. It is necessary to have 24/7 scouting for cops, including by car/bike to patrol potential staging areas and police buildings further from the camp.
- Replying to @DeGreat4Organize serious recruitment efforts. Phone-bank friends, members, allies, and get firm commitments. Sign up volunteers for rapid response. Numbers are our best defense.
- Replying to @DeGreat411. Retreat, Recoup, Re-Encamp Students at Yale, UT, etc have shown that it is possible to re-establish camps after raids. Consider tactical retreat as an alternative to mass arrest - pick a time the following day to return, and get some rest. Tents are cheap. Cops are not.
- Replying to @DeGreat49. Oppose Antisemitism Loudly The #1 weapon of admin is to slander protests as antisemitic. As seen at Northeastern, they will lie shamelessly. Immediate, loud, and proactive rejection of antisemitism is a crucial defense in the fight for public opinion.
- Replying to @DeGreat48. Slogans Matter The student movement has many great slogans and some poor ones. Slogans like “Oink Oink Piggy Piggy” etc. take attention from the clear demands of the students and the plight of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Slogans are a weapon in our media war. Pick wisely.
- Replying to @DeGreat410. Fight Bad Press With Good The press is waiting for opportunities to slander protestors. Don’t let them! Have great speakers ready. Record encounters with agitators and police. *Aggressively* follow up with reporters to correct the record. We don’t win by ignoring the press
