The president of Emory University on Monday acknowledged he was “not entirely accurate” in his reporting of the number of university “community” members who participated in an anti-Israel encampment last week.
Emory University President Gregory Fenves made new remarks about last week’s protest after Emory faculty members arranged a no-confidence vote against him, which will conclude on Friday.
Fenves wrote, “Based on the information we had early Thursday morning, we determined that the individuals who constructed the encampment on our Quad were not members of our community. It is clear to us now that this information was not fully accurate, and I apologize for that mischaracterization.”
The university president previously described activists behind the encampment as “highly organized, outside protesters” who arrived on the Emory campus in vans.
In his Monday statement, Fenves revealed he made the declaration with the goal of removing “a growing encampment, as allowing such an encampment would have been highly disruptive, affecting everything from classes and exams to our ability to hold Commencement.” He confirmed, “I remain firm that such encampments cannot be permitted at Emory.”
He then acknowledged the members of the Emory community, including at least two professors, who “were caught up in law enforcement activity enforcing the removal of the encampment.”
Video appears to show Emory economics professor Caroline Fohlin acknowledge striking a police officer while being led away in handcuffs. Video similarly appears to depict Noëlle McAfee, the critical theorist who heads the institution’s philosophy department, urging fellow protesters to inform the university of her arrest as officers escorted her.
Here’s that Professor of Economics who was arrested at Emory university and everyone seems to think is some poor victim of police repression. Caroline Fohlin ADMITS she hit a police officer on the head. Even professors are not allowed to assault cops. Yes, even professors. pic.twitter.com/YK5TrZokPD
— Heidi Bachram 🎗️ (@HeidiBachram) April 27, 2024
An Emory faculty letter obtained by the media reveals a no-confidence vote for Fenves is reportedly scheduled to be completed on Friday.
If successful, the vote would condemn Fenves’ decision to “summon the police” to disperse the encampment, “violence and the use of force,” arrests of Emory students and faculty, and “the false statements by President Fenves and other members of the administration.”
Faculty members are also reportedly demanding the university drop charges related to the anti-Israel encampment and pay the legal expenses of Emory community members who were criminally charged.
While Fenves acknowledged the involvement of Emory faculty and students in the protests, the allegedly criminal Stop Cop City network of activists publicly confirmed its participation in the encampment on the university campus.
Stop Cop City protesters participated “to demand total divestment from Israeli apartheid and Cop City,” the activists’ name for the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center that will be used by police, firefighters, and other public safety personnel.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Pennsylvania Daily Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “President Gregory Fenves” by Emory University. Background Photo “Protest at Emory University” by Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America.
