Above photo: University of Buffalo, New York. December 2025. UB LGBTA.
The University at Buffalo (UB) used to have a policy of allowing oppressed groups of students to have their own spaces on campus. That policy was won in stages through decades of activism and struggle in the mid to late 20th century. During the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the university took advantage of the physical absence of students from the campus to begin closing these student-run spaces until only one was left — the LGBTQIA2S+ community space known as SU 373 (Student Union room 373).
This space was stewarded by a student organization known as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Association (LGBTA), which records suggest was established in the 1980s. Why did the university want to get rid of community spaces run by working-class and oppressed students? Because it ultimately went against the administration’s material interests.
Community spaces are often a concession given to the working class to slow the fight against the ruling class, and like all concessions, are taken away when the working class either poses a threat to the ruling class, is vulnerable to further attack and exploitation, or both. In this case, working-class and oppressed students achieved a new level of political consciousness and solidarity in the wake of the student Intifada for Palestine, and the ruling class could not afford to let these student groups operate without attempting to restrain them.
From the perspective of a bourgeois institution like UB, to maintain the “status-quo” they need to appear to appeal to oppressed students without meaningfully addressing their needs. That is why the final crackdown on SU 373 — led by Vice President of Student Life Brian Hamluk — was timed to occur within a month of a new, staff-run “LGBTQ Resource Center” opening on campus.
Why SU 373 is essential
The LGBTQIA2S+ community and the “Save SU 373” campaign have made it clear time and time again that the Resource Center alone does not meet the needs of the community, and that in order to have autonomy, they need a democratically run student space such as SU 373. (Read the full campaign demands: IG @save_su373.)
Staff-run spaces are materially incentivized to shut down organizing, such as the actions against fascist “Turning Point” speakers who arrive on campus every year (workers.org/2023/03/69856/), or solidarity events with Palestine and other national liberation movements.
So what has the campaign done? Students and allies began by following the university-appointed process which, after much campaigning, led to the undergraduate student government approving a unanimous resolution condemning the university’s decision to close student-run spaces and requesting they be restored (instagram.com/p/DRdybiLjeWH). This activism, combined with a public event in the room on Oct. 31, led to the room eviction being postponed from Oct. 31 to Dec. 8. This was not good enough for the community, so the campaign continued.
When the university ignored further direct petitions to the administration, the campaign took its demands to the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees, along with local and state politicians, including the governor of New York’s office. Once again the campaign was sidelined and ignored. The campaign organized protests and delivered a list of demands that included a proposal for how to establish new, democratically run spaces for other oppressed students that balanced the university’s “safety” policy and self-determination needs.
The campaign was able to get the eviction date pushed again to Dec. 19 — the last day of the semester. Unfortunately, up to this point the community was unable to get the administration to agree to keeping the room open. It was at this point that the campaign turned up the heat.
Organizers stage sit-in
On Dec. 16, from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., a small group of organizers from the LGBTA, Workers World Party-Buffalo and other student supporters conducted a sit-in outside the main administration offices on the 5th floor of the Capen Hall administrative building. WWP-Buffalo livestreamed the sit-in at its Instagram page.
(@workers_world_buffalo/reel/DSVpmupib5y/ and @workers_world_buffalo/reel/DSV7BdCDke2/)
During the sit-in, demonstrators spoke with several representatives from the administration, including the Chief of Staff to the President of the University, staff at the Office of Student Life and the Vice Provost for the “Center for Inclusive Excellence.” Each of these officials promised to share the demands of the campaign with VP Hamluk and “do what we can” to slow the eviction process.
Unfortunately, as is often the case, these bourgeois officials exercised no influence to slow the eviction. On Dec. 19, a contingent of LGBTQIA2S+ students, staff and alumni held a holiday gathering in SU 373. This gathering was set for the same time as the deadline for the eviction.
Initially, all was quiet and the community sat chatting, eating and some even played card and video games. The spirit was lighthearted, though tense with the understanding of potential conflict with police or administrators. The sit-in began at 4 p.m., and by 7 p.m. the mood was more relaxed as everyone enjoyed each other’s company and partook in delivered cupcakes.
Cop invasion disrupts community atmosphere
This levity vanished when scouts spotted a number of police approaching SU 373 at 7:15 p.m. Four community members were stationed at the door to hold it shut as police arrived. Eight officers first knocked, then began attempting to force their way into the room. Through just a crack in the door, police issued a demand to vacate the room. They said that SU 373 “is not your room” [referring to the students] and that they “do not have permission to be here.”
Time dragged while negotiations were attempted. One student led the charge, refusing their entry through dialogue, while three others held the door closed to prevent entry. A cop deliberately placed his foot and arm in the door and occasionally stated how the door was “hurting” his foot, a tactic used to “justify” escalating use of force.
This aspect of the confrontation ended when the eight cops pushed the door open and told the gathering to “stop resisting.” The threat implicit in those words was clear to everyone in the room, and with only about a dozen community members, the decision was made to comply with the order under threat of greater violence.
Four of the cops stood in SU 373, and four remained outside as students and community members vacated the room with their belongings. They took Pride flags off of walls and removed historic and culturally important decorations while tears were shed. All the while, other spaces in the Student Union building were allowed occupants until late into the evening. But the student-run LGBTQIA2S+ space? That was forcefully vacated between 7:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. According to The UB Spectrum, the SU 373 gathering was deemed “camping” by the administration. (Dec 20)
There are two important things to take away from these events. First, solidarity among progressive, working-class and oppressed forces terrifies the ruling class, and the repression our communities face is an extension of their fear. Second, the struggle continues. More localized actions like this are part of a greater network of global, working-class struggles.
This fight against the bourgeois and petty bourgeois administrators at UB is not over. For UB alumni, the campaign asks that you contact the university to complain about this incident. Details can be found on the Save SU 373 Instagram page. For those who are in Western New York or can travel to Buffalo, follow the Save SU 373 campaign page on Instagram and stay tuned to the campaign for updates regarding possible future mobilizations early next year.
