Logan Church: US correspondent on US universities trying to tame Gaza protests as new year starts

Over in the US, universities are trying to clamp down on student protests as the new academic year starts up.

University leaders are expecting a new wave of protests as the conflict between Israel and Hamas rages on in Gaza.

US correspondent Logan Church says security has tightened up at New York universities - with police guarding the campuses.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
International Correspondence with Ends and Eye Insurance, Peace of Mind
for New Zealand Business.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Logan Chair to US Correspondence with US.

Speaker 1 (00:08):
Hey Logan, good evening.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Hey, so we've got the new semester starting in the
Gaza process are going on again, are they?

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Well, you'll recall the heavy protesting earlier in the year,
which of course results in one of the campus buildings
been stormed by protesters and occupied before arms police broken. Now, actually,
until a couple of weeks ago, I actually lived a
couple of blocks down from Columbia University, and there was
a time where every night we actually couldn't get to
sleep because of the police helicopters hovering over the upper
west side or the sirens from the cop cars going off.

(00:38):
But now there is of course a new semester sizzing,
and we are seeing new protests the same cause, calling
for the university to divest from companies with links to Israel.
These protests have however, been somewhat smaller and security is
so much TiSER. For example, used to be able to
just wander through the campus and have a look around

(00:59):
as a member of the public, but now you have
to show student ID or staff ID and there is
a very heavy police presence around the campus. There've also
been a couple of arrests, So a very different stant
to a semester than what someone might have expected not
too long ago. What are the.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
Cops going to do? Are they going to just maintain
a presence but not actually crack down?

Speaker 1 (01:18):
That is the planet this stands. But as we're seeing
in the last couple of weeks, they're not afraid to
make arrest. They are going to try and avoid the
situation which we saw earlier in the year, which were
large numbers of students occupying not just the site but
also buildings as part of the Columbia University campus. They're
going to want to try and make sure that the
university business can continue and that the education there can

(01:43):
go on. But certainly a big increase in police and
security presence on that site, even compared to a couple
of months ago. It's been a very quick increase there.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
What do we know about this Chinese spy who's busted
working for the New York governors?

Speaker 1 (01:57):
Yeah, hey, but this is probably the most spectaculous I
have seen in this state. So a former staffer to
the New York Governor was arrested today for being a
Chinese communist spy. Now, according to the official court documents
that were released, Linderson was working for the Currington previous
governor officers of New York while also working for China

(02:19):
and receiving luxury gifts. Now what luxury gifts, you might ask, Well,
that included a multimillion dollar home in a glitzy Long
Island suburb, a holiday home in Hawaii, ferrari range drover,
tickets to events, and even now this is my favorite
salted ducks prepared by a Chinese government officials personal chef.
This is all, of course alleged in court documents. Now,

(02:40):
in return, she was accused of boosting New York politicians
relationships with China and also allegedly interfering at attempts by
the Taiwanese government to engage with the New York Governor's office.
Now she has pleaded not guilty today, although it was
fired in March last year. But of course a big
embarrassment for the New York Governor's office.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
Totally. Have you tried, by the way, this honey juice
that everybody's drinking.

Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yes, well, that is of course at the US Open
and as you know, I've been at the US Open
a lot this past week, and oh boy, oh boy.
One thing of luds our professional tennis in America is
that fans love to drink, and that cocktail, the Honey
Juice or if in America, the honey deucee, has been
increasing in popularity. Now. Last year they sold more than

(03:25):
four hundred and sixty thousand of these cocktails at the
US Open, and they're expecting to sell more this year,
all for the price. And I hope you're sitting down
of thirty seven New Zealand dollars for one cocktail now
that includes vodka, lemonade Rasbylkure and three pieces of honey.
Due mellon. Now to your question, have I partaken in

(03:45):
saying cocktail? Well, I confess I haven't tried it, but
very much on purpose, because if I did, I suspect
no one at One News will be guessing any tennis
coverage from me anytime soon. That's given how much money
they are making, it's surely a half decent.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Please please promise me that just one time, you, just
when you're finished with your work, you will go and
have one of these things and then tell us how
awesome it is, or otherwise.

Speaker 1 (04:09):
I'll do it just for you here. I want to
tell anyone else at my works you.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
And I'll set up and give a little page in
the New Time to pay for it. Logan, thanks very much, mate,
Logan Church You is correspond For more from Hither Duplessy
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