The FSU condemns use of force against peaceful protestors at UMass Amherst

5/10/2024

Faculty Staff Union Executive Committee statement

The Faculty Staff Union at UMass Boston  condemns the administration-directed police intervention and the subsequent mass arrests that occurred during  a peaceful protest at UMass Amherst. We stand in solidarity with our colleagues and students at UMass Amherst and with the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) that has issued this statement condemning the UMass Amherst administration’s crackdown on protestors. Such a display of force is disproportionate and undermines the foundational principles of academic freedom and the right to peaceful assembly, principles that anchor the public university’s mission to foster a space for open dialogue and exchange of ideas.

We believe that the use of force to suppress protest is fundamentally at odds with the mission of higher education institutions. We will support and defend the rights of all faculty and students across the UMass system to free speech and academic freedom. This pledge resonates with our commitment to uphold workplace and social justice. We call upon Chancellor Reyes,   the UMass Amherst administration and President Meehan to reconsider their approach and to honor the sanctity of rights to free speech and protest. The university must remain a safe haven for intellectual growth and social advocacy, free from fear and repression. 

Signed,

Faculty Staff Union Executive Committee