As Twitchy reported, students at Vanderbilt University in Nashville occupied the chancellor's office to protest the cancellation of a pro-Palestine referendum from being voted on by students. They peed in water bottles because they weren't allowed to use the restrooms. One of the Hamas sympathizers called 911 because a young woman was “being denied the right to change her tampon.” The student tried to shame a police officer: "You are black in America, and you're NOT standing with the marginalized people of the world. What does that make you?" they asked.
WSMV reports that there were three expulsions and one suspension when the protest turned violent. "Three students were charged with Class A misdemeanor assault after pushing the officer and a staff member as they entered the building. The fourth student was charged with vandalism after allegedly breaking a window on the outside of the building."
Wow!
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) April 6, 2024
Three of the Vanderbilt students who participated in the sit-in have been expelled.
Another has been suspended and the rest are on probation. pic.twitter.com/YKIEErgV63
One of those expelled is 19-year-old activist Jack Petocz, who posted in a lengthy thread just what went down.
I'm Jack Petocz, a 19 y/o activist that's been fighting for marginalized people for years.
— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) April 6, 2024
Yesterday, I was expelled from Vanderbilt University for peacefully protesting the genocide in Palestine.
Vanderbilt will let sexual assaulters walk free, but expel passionate organizers.
For months, administration has suppressed student voices fighting for Palestine.
— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) April 6, 2024
This includes hyper-surveillance, discrimination towards our SJP and JVP chapters, and cancelling a student-led referendum to divest Vanderbilt Student Government funds from mass slaughter.
After exhausting every other avenue, 27 students engaged in a sit-in at our chancellor’s office.
— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) April 6, 2024
During this time, Vandy denied us of our basic humanity, restricting access to food, water, restrooms, or medical care.
All the while, being cornered by a wall of police & admin.
It's a sit-in, not a catered event.
To terminate the protest, Vanderbilt arrested 4 students, including me, and forcibly removed 20+ others with police intervention.
— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) April 6, 2024
We were evicted from campus until Vanderbilt had decided our fate for the ultimate crime of caring as 33,000 people have been murdered.
Yesterday, they released disciplinary decisions, expelling 3 students, suspending 1, and putting 22 others on probation.
— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) April 6, 2024
This is how a school claiming to champion “free speech” reacts to students rallying together in compassion & love for those outside Vanderbilt's ivory towers.
I came to Vanderbilt with the dream of escaping the rampant bigotry and institutional repression I experienced in the Deep South.
— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) April 6, 2024
That dream has soured.
Make no mistake, we will be appealing and attempting to rectify this obscene and undue punishment.
Like Martin Luther King Jr., he too had a dream.
Having seen the news story first, I find Jack's account of the incident wildly off-base.
— Laurie (@laurieinri) April 6, 2024
Sure that's his perception, just wow at how far from reality it appears to be.
Read this whining thread and compare it to the facts mentioned below about the charges (Jack was one of the students arrested).
— AG (@AGHamilton29) April 6, 2024
These people think they are entitled to intimidate, bully, and harass others without consequences. They think rules shouldn't apply to them because… https://t.co/JhyycsuHYA pic.twitter.com/LpDPyyPwaw
They think rules shouldn't apply to them because they (wrongly) view their cause as just. The levels of entitlement are absurd, including whining that they weren't getting bathroom breaks and food deliveries after illegally occupying a building they weren't supposed to be in.
And when they face consequences or are held to the same standards as anyone else would be if they behaved similarly, they act outraged.
I hope this kid grows up one day, but until then he doesn't belong at any serious educational institution.
“a 19 y/o activist that's been fighting for marginalized people for years.”
— Amygator 🐊 *not an actual alligator (@AmyA1A) April 6, 2024
Like when he rage-quit his weekend Publix job in high school because he thought DeSantis had banned saying “gay.” ✊ pic.twitter.com/qNvdQtNuTN
Hah! He resigned from his job at the grocery store to protest the "Don't Say Gay" bill.
At 19, he's been fighting for *years.*
— LoLNothingMatters (@DastDn) April 6, 2024
A Spartacus for our time.
This is the same protest where they called 911 about toxic shock syndrome due to a tampon. Claimed a woman was not allowed to use the bathroom even though an officer was recorded assuring the students that they would not be arrested if they left the building. Not serious people
— Karla1953 (@Karla1953) April 6, 2024
1) There is no genocide, but the terrorist group whose side you’ve taken is explicitly genocidal. 2) Being deeply wrong about it this isn’t why you were expelled. 3) Good for Vandy. ⚓️ https://t.co/oSpPD7wmRT
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) April 6, 2024
These guys think they are above the rules because their cause is so just, only really it's just ignorance they are using to justify bullying and harassment of others that would never be tolerated from any other group.
— AG (@AGHamilton29) April 6, 2024
Also, their cause is deeply unjust.
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) April 6, 2024
It's fun watching the start of a new grifting career. Let's see how soon before he's on NBC
— Uncle O'fear (@leanrum) April 6, 2024
Probably the first time he’s ever faced any consequences for his behavior. Good for Vanderbilt.
— Jenn 🌿 (@MsBookAHolic) April 6, 2024
I think this is all performance, and he’s just trying to raise his profile on social media. Looks to me like he sees this as a career path.
— Greg Wa (@xgwakex) April 6, 2024
Vanderbilt University has nothing to do with Israel's actions in Gaza, and you were expelled for acting like a petulant child.
— Cesare Borgia (@SirCesareBorgia) April 6, 2024
Good news though.
Now you have plenty of free time to go to Gaza yourself and actually help.
Good luck!
Since your parents failed to teach you about consequences someone else had to. It’s time to grow up. Now go put on your big boy shoes and do something productive that doesn’t involve whining and screaming and pretending to be “marginalized.”
— 🫃🏼💉🇺🇦Hollaria Briden, Esq. (@HollyBriden) April 6, 2024
You're 19, dude.
— And Don't Call Me Shirley. (@Meme_Behavior) April 6, 2024
Exactly how many years have you been "fighting for marginalized people"?
Found out
— Sean Agnew (@seanagnew) April 6, 2024
Hey Jack Petocz,
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 6, 2024
Was this you pushing the security guard?
If so, this wasn’t peaceful and you’re lucky you’re not in jail.pic.twitter.com/eLCxcKbDHQ
Thank you @VanderbiltU for keeping your students safe from people like Jack Petocz.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) April 6, 2024
Incidentally, we just learned that tuition for the 2024-2025 school year at Vanderbilt will set you back more than $100,000. Sounds pretty marginalized.
This is insane
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) April 6, 2024
Next year, Vanderbilt’s cost of attendance for **undergrads** will be $100K
That’s roughly what students pay for LAW SCHOOL at YALE (right) pic.twitter.com/eUPHwe09md
Harvard will probably award him the David Hogg Scholarship.
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member