The New School faculty members set up pro-Palestinian encampment in lobby. Here's what they want.
NEW YORK -- Another protest encampment has popped up at The New School, but this time students have nothing to do with it.
The latest demonstration in support of Palestinians and against the Israel-Hamas war was happening Wednesday at the school in Greenwich Village.
With the support of many students, nearly two dozen teachers set up tents in the lobby.
"How can anyone stay on the sidelines?"
The faculty members are demanding the administration divest from several weapons manufacturing companies.
CBS New York spoke to one involved.
"Everyone is witness to this genocide, to this atrocity, that is unfolding on a daily basis. All the universities in Gaza are gone. This is a mass starvation campaign. There's a bombing campaign in Rafah, where 600,000 children live. How can anyone stay on the sidelines?" the professor said.
The New School is in the middle of finals right now and that faculty member said some professors are also doing a grade strike, which means they are refusing to submit grades.
CBS New York reached out to the university for a statement, but has not yet heard back.
Faculty protest follows last week's student protest
Tuesday's demonstration was taking place less than a week after the NYPD dismantled a student encampment inside two buildings at The New School at the request of the administration.
The school said students blocked the entrance to a residence that housed 600 students, leaving it no choice but to dismantle the encampments.
"I deeply regret having to do this," the school's interim president said in a statement. "My decision is about their conduct, not speech."
The New School said it had been negotiating with students, but the talks broke down.
Some students rallied outside the university Wednesday in support of their professors, including one master's candidate who was arrested at the student encampment last week and suspended.
"I would rather be suspended and know that I was pushing for a school to divest from companies that fund genocide than to be complicit and continue as normal," she said.
