More than 1,000 gather at Harvards University to liberate Palestine ahead of expected Gaza invasion | News | Harvard Crimson

Updated: October 15, 2023 at 12:26 AM

More than 1,000 protesters gathered in Harvard Yard in support of Gaza on Saturday ahead of the expected Israeli-occupied invasion, condemning the university for the lack of support from Palestinian students and the complexity of what they described. As genocide.

Organized jointly by Harvard’s Palestinian Solidarity Committee and four Palestinian graduates, the initial rally was scheduled for Friday evening but was postponed due to security concerns, according to an Instagram post By GS4P.

The rallies came a week after a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel that killed 1,300 Israelis and saw 150 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. The next day, Israel declared war on Hamas and launched an offensive that left more than 2,200 Palestinians dead as of Saturday afternoon, according to Gazan health authorities.

The Israeli military invasion of Gaza is expected in the coming days, with Israeli authorities leading more than a million Palestinians to evacuate the northern part of the territory within 24 hours. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s spokesman Stphane Dujarric wrote: “The risk is devastating. Humanitarian consequences. Hamas has instructed Gazans not to comply with evacuation orders.

At the rally, an unidentified PSC spokesman called on Harvard to urge federal officials to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and to show direct and indirect investment in companies involved in the violence. Genocide and human rights abuses against Palestine.

University spokesman Jason A. Newton declined to comment for this article.

A PSC spokesman also called on University president Claudine Gay to condemn the doxxing attacks against pro-Palestinian students.

“We must condemn and reject the racism against Palestine, the lies and harassment that Harvard students are facing,” he said.

In a video message on Thursday, her third statement since the Israeli attack on Gay denied the names and punished the students involved in a joint statement signed by the PSC and dozens of student organizations. Another last week called on the Israeli government to take full responsibility for the violence. Gay emphasized the university’s commitment to free speech.

“That commitment extends to the views that most of us perceive to be objectionable, even angry,” she said. We do not punish or punish people for expressing such views, but that is far from supporting them. .

Students at a rally on Saturday called on Harvard University President Claudine Gay to publicly condemn racism against Palestine and lies. By Julian J. Giordano

The students’ joint statement sparked national outrage from federal lawmakers over Fortune 500 executives to some of the university’s top academics and was denounced by more than 4,000 Harvard affiliates in two open letters.

In the weeks since it was published, students associated with the group who signed the statement have faced threats and doxxing attacks with a student name box car and confronted around the Harvards campus on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday. At least 10 groups have withdrawn their support for the joint statement since its publication.

Rabea Eghbariah, a human rights lawyer and associate at the Harvard Divinity Schools Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative, condemned the effort to harass and intimidate pro-Palestinian students in his speech at the rally.

Eghbariah said Harvard students who dared to speak for Palestinian life were harassed throughout the campus. We deny that when Palestinians speak for their lives, they are intentionally violent.

He added that there would be no peaceful solution without the right solution. We will not understand this assertion as a reason for our devastation.

Kojo Acheampong 26, co-founder of the African-African Resistance Organization, said in a speech at the rally that the group was fully supportive of the Palestinian struggle against the colonial regime, which is a country. Israel.

Acheampong said the small population, the oppressed people, the colonial people always demanded to justify their means of liberation. They are not terrorists.

Acheampong drew comparisons to the anti-democracy movement and anti-apartheid movement throughout history, telling protesters that history is on our side.

Acheampong said that when people fought in South Africa, a system similar to the Gazas and West Banks, the United States and the West humiliated the people and called them terrorists. Today we call them liberators.

Acheampong and other speakers led prayers for the liberation of Palestine, no justice, no peace and no longer funding Israeli crimes.

One protester held a sign saying ‘the struggle is right’ as the speaker condemned the Israeli government. By Julian J. Giordano

After the meeting, a PSC spokesman said that not all of the speakers in the demonstration were members of the organization, especially Acheampong.

He added that the specific members who spoke were not members of the PSC and did not speak for the PSC. PSC membership and leadership did not read the pre-rally speech or review it.

“We remain strongly opposed to the violence against civilians and there is no way to support the message,” he added. Any forgiveness that is vague or unequivocal for violence against civilians. That is the red line for the PSC and an important part of our efforts for a non-violent struggle for a free Palestine.

Andres Vega, a Boston resident who attended the rally, said he and his family wanted to come in solidarity, adding that more people should attend because of the importance of the issue.

“It’s the only way we can see when we can get support and presence,” Vega said.

This article will be updated.

Editor’s note: Readers should note that prior facilitation is enabled for online feedback on this article without concern for student safety.

Cara J. Chang, President

Brandon L. Kingdollar Editor