UIC students and faculty participate in nationwide walkout for Palestine
Zaynab Hossain
3 November 2023
On Wednesday, October 25th, students walked out of their classes at 12:30 PM and filled the quad as part of a nationwide student protest for the people of Gaza. By the end of the protest, about 400 students gathered. They denounced Chancellor Marie, the UIC administration, the Israeli apartheid, and complicit institutions and politicians.
With 7 speakers, student and faculty organizations from all over campus sent representatives to give speeches in support of SJP and the Palestinian people.
The first speaker was Nesreen Hasan, the program coordinator for UIC’s Arab American Cultural Center. She urged students to join the fight, citing examples of where student protests made a massive difference in conflicts throughout history, such as the student protestors against South African apartheid in 1967.
The second speaker present was Professor Andy Clarno, an associate professor of Sociology and Black Studies. He spoke briefly about Palestinian history since the Nakba (1948 displacement of Palestinians), and then revealed details about a faculty letter that was sent to Chancellor Marie. This letter was signed off by 163 faculty and staff members at UIC: a sign of how widespread the support for Palestine is.
“We demanded that UIC affirm the First Amendment and free speech rights to protest and organize for Palestinian freedom,” Professor Clarno said. “We demanded the university reject calls to condemn monitor and punish students who are protesting for Palestinian rights. To publicly condemn racist rhetoric and Palestinians and their allies. To provide free legal services for students who are experiencing discrimination, threats, and hate crimes.”
Watch a clip of his powerful speech below:
The third speaker was Jenin Zayeda, the SJPUIC president. She condemned the treatment of Palestinian student activists by the UIC administration. She revealed that in their efforts to be heard, students were only ever redirected to speak to Chancellor Marie. However, when they tried to do just that, the chancellor claimed she “did not have time” to speak with them, and evaded their meeting. Palestinian students and allies have been consistently ignored and discriminated against in their attempts to speak with the administration about ongoing concerns for the safety of Palestinian students.
Soha Khatib of SJPUIC leads students in protest against Chancellor Marie, UIC administration, and for freedom in Palestine. Video by Zaynab Hossain
Zayeda then revealed that SJP UIC was invited to Capital Hill, and when they attended, they heard disheartening things from senators. “Tammy Duckworth stated she didn’t believe Israel bombing an apartment building full of Palestinians is considered terrorism, but when it’s the other way around, she thinks it is terrorism,” said Zayeda. She also reported that Congressman Sean Castin, when urged to sign on to the ceasefire in Gaza, stated Israel had a right to ‘defend itself’ and he didn’t care about Palestinian lives.
Jenin Al-Harithi, another student member of SJP called students to action. “Call your reps, call your senators,” she urged.
Speakers that followed were student representatives from SDS (Students for a Democratic Society), Anakbayan at UIC, and UIC Dissenters. They spoke about governmental and institutional complicity and UIC’s financial contributions to war-profiteering corporations. Asha (last name kept anonymous) from Dissenters revealed that in 2001, Boeing, a corporation known for building weapons of war, received four million dollars in funds from UIC.
Palestinian students on campus have been silenced, dehumanized, and threatened as they attempt to fight for their rights and the rights of Palestinian civilians, pushing them to file a federal complaint with the Department of Education against UIC.
Jenin A of SJPUIC leads students in protest. Full crowd is estimated to be about 400 people.
Bonfire stands in solidarity with all Palestinian students, allies, and the people of Palestine. We declare that the ongoing genocide and oppression of Palestinian civilians is a violation of human rights and part of a global struggle for justice. We unequivocally support the fight of the Palestinian people for liberation, land, and life. We reject Zionist propaganda and we reject the discrimination and mistreatment of Palestinian people, whether it takes place abroad or on our very own campus.
We call upon students, faculty, and organizations to resist the narratives of fear and isolation that are perpetuated and join the fight by standing in solidarity with their Palestinian peers. Historically, students have been forefronts of true and meaningful change. Let us be a force of change, raise awareness and support, contact our representatives and senators, and rise up against institutions that are complicit in the Israeli apartheid.
Stay tuned to Bonfire News for more details about the treatment of Palestinian students on campus and the ongoing federal complaint.
