the people’s plaza, 2024.
on april 15th, 2024, student activists erected a public library in new haven’s beinecke plaza under the campaign “books not bombs.” they protested yale university’s indefensible investments in military weapons manufacturing and called for disclosure and divestment from the bloodshed in palestine, decrying the institution’s complicity in global war-making.
the yale administration disassembled the bookshelves after less than one hour.
members of administration smirked at the destruction of days of labour and stacks of books and educational material.
throughout the week, masses of students began to protest yale’s pernicious financial decisions and call for peace in palestine. an encampment was established in the plaza.
beinecke had become a site for art-building, education, prayer, performance, mourning, and joy.
people shared food and resources, engaging in peer support mutual aid.
faculty, business owners, new haven organizers, and passersby joined in.
this marked the beginning of an extended encampment of the plaza, where power now lied in the hands of the community. it was occupied by artists, scholars, activists, and friends, united against weapons manufacturing and the violence of war.
despite the peaceful encampment, the space was heavily surveilled by yale and new haven police forces. they flew drones and watched through cameras, threatened by the teach-ins, poetry recitations, and dancing.
even though the plaza had become surrounded by police personnel, it remained a nucleus of resistance through joy.
the plaza became a nucleus of joy through resistance.
protestors remained steadfast in their campaign calling for divestment and peace. masses of supporters cheered on from a distance, blocked off by police tape and armed personell.
tents, sleeping bags, artwork, and personal belongings were seized and taken away. the protestors were arrested and brought away in the same yale shuttle buses that students took to class. hundreds gathered to support them.
the yale administration perniciously ambushed protestors with arrest on april 22nd, 2024.
at 6:00 am in the morning, the plaza was flooded with cops.
these crucial moments, alongside events from the previous weeks, were documented online. the actions of the administration and police were witnessed by millions worldwide.
although the encampment had been demolished, the power of the people did not decline. quickly, the adjascent intersection was overtaken by supporters, becoming yet another site of resistance, as the 49 arrested students were being processed.
people danced in the streets and covered the asphalt in chalk art. people sang and sang and sang. the arrested students were welcomed back with open arms and song. it became yet another site of joy.
beinecke plaza closed for the following weeks, marked by yellow police tape. for a brief but powerful period of time, it was the people’s plaza.
the movement evolved, with encampments erected on cross campus, new haven green, and across other colleges in the country. everything had changed.
end of essay.