George Washington University students are voicing their outrage after campus police told junior Ramie Abounaja to remove a Palestinian flag displayed outside his residence hall window.
The officer cited “multiple complaints” the department had received about the Palestinian flag. But according to administrators, the request to take down the flag was not about what it represents, but rather a violation of the housing code.
“We encourage students to share their rich diversity of backgrounds, experiences and views with their peers,” reads a statement from the media relations office. “GW has not banned any flags from its campus; however, the university’s Residential Community Conduct Guidelines prohibit the hanging of any object outside of a residence hall window and this is enforced when reported to the GW Police Department.”
According to GW’s Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities, the student was let off with a warning.
However, The Intercept reported that countless other national flags currently hang from the dorm rooms of the university.
In an email to The Intercept, Abounaja wrote, “My flag was taken down not because it broke university policy, but because of the numerous complaints people have sent to the department.” He added, “I do believe that the students at GW are very much open minded. … However, a large percentage of students condemn Palestine (and anything related), so I would say that expression is difficult.”
Students expressed their frustration with the policy on social media.
“The George Washington University has abused its power by wrongfully criminalizing a student for simply being proud,” junior Sydney Rachael Levin-Epstein posted on Facebook. “To those who feel offended by seeing this flag, I urge you to focus on what you are looking at. Conflict aside — the Palestinian flag represents history and heritage, much like my Israeli flag which has never been asked to be taken down.”
On the other hand, Ariel Klausner Stern, an exchange student from Israel studying at GW this semester, said, “If the code prohibits the hanging of any banner or flag, than the student doesn’t have any right above the law in this case. If other flags are allowed to be hung, I don’t see a reason not to hang Palestinian flag, or an Israeli one for that matter.”
