In response to recent strikes against the city of Rafah in Palestine by the Israeli military, University students gathered at Alma Mater on Saturday for an emergency protest against the Israeli occupation of Gaza and to call for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza on the border with Egypt, holds 1.4 million Palestinians, many of whom have sought refuge there since bombings began in northern Gaza in October 2023.
The threat of an Israeli offensive on the city has caused international concern for civilian safety.
Over 100 University students and community members came out in support of Palestinians affected by the conflict. The protest began with student speakers and ended with a march down Green and John streets.
“I was really surprised when I heard that there was like 130 to 115 people today which is pretty close to the original protest,” said a protest organizer who is a sophomore in LAS. The organizer has asked to keep their name anonymous for personal safety due to people doxxing students who speak out against Israel.
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The organizer said protest participation often decreases as time passes, but this hasn’t been the case among such events at the University.
“I feel like since the attacks right now are just so brutal, and it continues to stay very brutal; that people are still staying connected to the cause and wanting to show up for the cause,” the organizer said.
The organizer said there are often people who aim to dox students at Palestine-related events, including this one.
“(The people doxxing students) try to, even with the doxxing, they promote it as us being antisemitic, and they’re just equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism, which is horrifying, and it’s extremely disgusting,” the organizer said.
Despite opposition, there is the belief that the pro-Palestinian movement is making progress with the University by raising awareness and ending University investment in companies that give support to Israel.
Recently, Tim Killeen, president of the University of Illinois System, visited the Salaam Middle East & North Africa Cultural Center. The organizer said this was an effort to build a relationship with Palestinian and Muslim University students, something he had not done before.
“He wanted to learn more about us and he realized that, you know, ‘There are concerned students on my (Killeen’s) campus, and I (Killeen) have to do something to change that,’” the organizer said.
As for the Saturday march, the event was held to raise awareness and attention to Gaza.
“The goal was just to educate people on what’s going on in Palestine that they may not know, and also just to get our voices heard and show that there is power in people and that the people are united,” the organizer said.
