"We won't be free until Palestine is free": American student's powerful speech against her university

Barcelona"I feel ashamed knowing my tuition is being used to fund genocide." This is part of a George Washington University (GWU) student's powerful speech in support of Palestine, which has gone viral. Cecilia Culver, a graduate student in economics and statistics, used last Saturday's graduation ceremony to complain about the university's stance on the Israeli invasion of Gaza. In her speech, Culver criticized the school for "repressing" students who have demonstrated against Israel and said that "none of them will be free until Palestine is free." She also pointed out that the university finances companies linked to the state led by Netanyahu.

As stated The GW Hatchet, the university's student newspaper, the speech has not gone down well with GWU leaders. In fact, an investigation is now underway into whether Culver violated university event protocol by changing his speech at the last minute without prior notice. The student had submitted another speech to the organizers, which had received the university's approval. During the same event, Rachel Riedner, the associate dean of undergraduate studies, had reportedly said that Culver's speech "does not reflect" GWU's views. According to the university newsletter, Riedner's remarks were cut short by shouts of "Free Palestine!" from some students.

This is not the first time George Washington University has responded to pro-Palestinian criticism: last April and May, several students from the university took part in university protests against the war in Gaza. The Student Justice for Palestine (SJP) Association was then formed, demanding that GWU divest from all the Israeli-linked companies it supported. The school suspended the association for a year, arguing that it did not follow university policy.