Letter to the Editor: State-sanctioned violence, a chilling message courtesy of UTD

To the current Editorial Board and readers of The Mercury, 

One thing is clear to me after reading The Mercury’s recent coverage of the Gaza Solidarity encampment: administrators’ horrifying response on May 1 was undoubtedly a show of power. 

The university tries to justify sending in the state troopers with assault rifles and riot gear as a mere execution of policy — a rational response to unlawfulness. But don’t let this fool you: there is nothing “rational” about state-sanctioned violence. There is nothing justified in the supposed “protectors” of our free expression employing fear tactics — in approving the militarized aggressors that detained peaceful unarmed demonstrators. May 1 was a threat above all else: UTD will retaliate when its status quo is challenged.  

Student protesters asked: “Why are you in riot gear?” 

The answer? To warn all those watching: We will use force again to put you in your place. 

It is unacceptable, it is chilling and I reject administrators’ brutal repression against our students. 

The lengths UTD will go to squash assembly and even deny tuition-paying demonstrators conferment disturb me to the core. The Dean of Students called the former SJP president a “disgrace” before denying him his degree — but it is our administrators who are truly disgraceful. While administration readily deploys war-ready police to subdue Comets, they ignore the core issues driving demonstrations, and instead, continue to support UTIMCO’s investments in companies that fund militarism, neo-imperialism and genocide. 

This university that suppresses its students’ voices has no future without the resignation of all administrators involved with the May 1 response.  

Sincerely, 

Fatimah Azeem 
Former Editor-in-Chief of The Mercury, summer ‘23 to spring ‘24