Pro-Palestine Encampment at Bowdoin College Escalates Amid Disciplinary Crackdown
Executive Summary
Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Bowdoin College launched an encampment in Smith Union to protest the school’s investments and U.S. policy on Gaza, marking the first anti-Israel encampment of the Trump administration. Administrators swiftly moved to discipline participants, locking down the building and initiating hearings less than 12 hours after the protest began. Despite this, students broke into a campus building to continue their demonstration, vowing to resist disciplinary actions.
Analysis
The Bowdoin encampment is a significant escalation in campus activism against Israel and U.S. policy in Gaza. By occupying Smith Union, renaming it the “Shaban Al-Dalou Union,” and resisting disciplinary action, students have positioned themselves at the forefront of a potential wave of renewed campus encampments. The group’s rhetoric explicitly links their action to Trump’s endorsement of Israeli policy, framing the administration’s stance as an existential threat to Palestinians.
Bowdoin’s rapid response, including locking doors and launching disciplinary hearings within hours, contrasts with the often-delayed administrative reactions seen in similar past protests. This suggests institutions may be under greater pressure—both politically and financially—to swiftly shut down anti-Israel activism, especially in light of Trump’s executive order calling for visa cancellations for foreign students engaged in “anti-Semitic harassment.” The presence of federal funding for Bowdoin further raises the stakes, as the school could face political and financial consequences depending on how it handles the encampment.
The protest’s continuation despite administrative pushback underscores a deepening commitment among activists, who are adapting their tactics by re-entering buildings after lockdowns. This could set a precedent for future demonstrations, particularly as encampments serve as both physical and symbolic sites of resistance. The confrontation between students and the administration will likely test the limits of student discipline, academic freedom, and federal intervention on campuses in the coming months.
