About 100 students staged a walkout from class and picket by The Rock on Monday afternoon — the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel — in honor of the lives lost in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine.
The demonstration violated several of Northwestern’s new policies on organizing, including a ban on organizing at The Rock before 3 p.m., using amplified sound before 5 p.m. and “failing to comply” with on-site officials, according to University spokesperson Jon Yates.
“Northwestern has already begun an investigation to determine the identities of those who violated policies,” Yates wrote in a statement to The Daily. “As the individuals are identified, they will receive disciplinary notification from the University.”
A little after 1 p.m., demonstrators began to chant outside The Rock, using bullhorns and other sound amplifiers. The chants included “We will not stop, we will not rest,” “Northwestern divest now” and “Down down with occupation.” Others huddled together hoisting signs that read “Right to return,” “Right to resist” and “Hands Off Lebanon.”
A few counterprotesters stood on the outskirts of the circle of pro-Palestinian students with Israeli flags.
When the pro-Palestinian demonstrators formed a picket circle stretching between University Hall and Harris Hall, a few of the counterprotesters inserted themselves in the middle as some attempted to film the moving chain of students.
The walkout coincides with Disorientation Week, a partnership between SJP and other student activist organizations to help NU students understand the “real Northwestern.”
One student spoke in honor of Hassan Hamad, a Palestinian journalist killed in an artillery strike Sunday, after he had shared videos of Israeli airstrikes on his social media accounts.
“At 6 a.m., he called me to send his last video after a call that didn’t last more than a few seconds,” she said. “And once again, I can’t express enough that I go to an institution that supposedly has the best journalism school in the world, but they’ve been completely silent on the deaths of Palestinian journalists.”
She also read excerpts from a speech delivered by Medill Prof. Steven Thrasher at the pro-Palestinian encampment on campus in April.
Thrasher now faces investigation from NU after his involvement in the encampment, and his Fall Quarter classes have also been canceled.
Nearly two hours after students arrived at The Rock, an organizer announced the group would relocate to Centennial Park after receiving notifications from NU officials that they were under threat of immediate suspension.
The walkout comes as Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian officials. The ground and air offensive follows the militant group Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel which killed about 1,200 Israelis, according to Israeli officials.
Before the picket, the group of demonstrators met with members of NU’s on-site Event Support Team, which the University often deploys during student protests and demonstrations to observe and address any safety or disruption concerns.
“The demonstration on our Evanston campus today violated multiple University policies, and there will be disciplinary consequences,” Yates wrote to The Daily. “These actions disrupted classes in nearby buildings.”
The Event Support Team appeared to be sizable compared to those dispatched to previous demonstrations, likely because of the new demonstration policies.
During the picket, another student discussed the importance of continuing to advocate and fighting for the lives lost in the year since the Israel-Hamas conflict began.
“Your classes are less important than genocide. They never will be more important,” one organizer said. “Genocide is more important than this university.”
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Related Stories:
— SJP honors lives lost in Israel-Hamas War at vigil
— NU SJP protests at The Rock in solidarity with Columbia students after mass arrests
— JVP hosts Tashlich to honor lives lost in Palestine and Israel
