Red paint and claims of genocide

“CPax, CPax, you can’t hide! You’re supporting genocide!” 

Brown University students – many donning a Palestinian scarf known as a keffiyeh – shouted these words to school president Christina Paxson as she exited a vigil Monday for Hisham Awartani, a junior at Brown, who was one of three Palestinian college students shot Saturday near the University of Vermont campus in Burlington. Awartani is still in the hospital and authorities are investigating whether the incident was a hate crime.

Paxson said at the vigil that the shooting was an “irrational and hateful act of violence.” But students demanded more accountability, calling for Brown University to pull out of investments that support Israel, holding signs that said “Brown funds the hate that made this possible” and wearing surgical gloves covered in red, blood-like paint. 

“This is how you want to honor your friend? I’m sorry,” Paxson said to the students, and left the podium to chants of “Shame! Shame! Shame!” 

The dramatic, divisive scene captures how U.S. colleges and universities are increasingly divided by the Israel and Hamas war.

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