The demonstration was counter-protested by pro-Israel students and community members
By RIVERS STOUT AND JESSICA YUNG — campus@theaggie.org
On Oct. 7 at 12 p.m., around a couple hundred students gathered at the Quad South Patio to show their support for Palestinians over what is often called “One year of genocide.” Speakers and organizers from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Revolutionary Student Union (RSU) and Davis Graduate, Medical, Veterinary, & Law Students 4 Palestine (Grads4Pal) attended the event. These groups also played a part in many of last year’s protests.
The protest was the second of the year in support of Palestine, with the first taking place on Sept. 25 in which fewer than a dozen people protested in front of the library with a sign that read, “No back to school in Gaza.”
The most recent protest featured a diverse set of movements, with chants and signs supporting Mexico, the Philippines and Armenia/Artsakh.
Many protestors held signs that read, “Free Palestine U.S. Taxpayers Fund Gaza War Crimes.”
Throughout the protest, they shouted many chants, including “No, no normalization […] we demand full liberation” and “Every branch, every olive tree.”
Additionally, they reaffirmed their position against Chancellor Gary May’s directorial role with Leidos, an engineering company that has relations with the Israeli government and has been accused of war profiteering, by chanting, “Gary May, how many kids have you killed today?”
Behind the protest, a smaller group of fewer than 30 counter-protestors, including members from Aggies for Israel as well as various citizens of the Davis community, showed their support for Israel.
A couple of the counter-protestors walked over to the pro-Palestine demonstration, yelling and taunting pro-Palestine protestors by dancing in their direction. Additionally, they were chanting, “Hate is not resistance” and “Free the hostages,” while displaying a tarp depicting Israeli hostages. One of the counter-protestors held a sign reading, “On October 7th —1,400+ people were murdered, raped and tortured by Hamas.”
The pro-Palestine protesters attempted to block them with umbrellas, and the counter-protestors’ actions ceased once the pro-Palestine march began.
The march went through the Memorial Union and Coffee House, down to Shields Library and the Silo, where there was a refreshment station with water. Protestors primarily marched down streets and gathered in common areas.
The pro-Palestine speeches at the Silo finished by 1:30 p.m. As of the date of publication, the University of California has taken no action against protestors or organizers.
Written by: Rivers Stout and Jessica Yung — campus@theaggie.org
