More than a year after the spring 2024 encampment, Students for Justice in Palestine UIUC held an “emergency protest” on Friday. Student protesters delivered speeches at Alma Mater before marching in a loop around the Main Quad, chanting slogans such as “Free, free, Palestine” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
“Today, we’re out here doing an emergency protest because of the escalations in Gaza,” said a spokesperson for SJP, who elected to remain anonymous for safety concerns. “Because of these escalations, we’ve decided that we have to take to the streets.”
Along with Israel’s continued military action in Gaza, the spokesperson referenced pro-Palestine student protestors from Columbia University, Dartmouth College and the University of Texas at Austin, who have had encampment-related charges against them dropped.
Last year, Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz charged nine people with felony mob action after the encampment, three of whom are students. Two individuals pleaded guilty, while another case was dismissed. Other cases are ongoing.
Rietz did not immediately respond to a request for comment but defended the charges in a previous statement to The Daily Illini.
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“The American system of government comes with laws and reasonable limitations to preserve order and safety that apply to all citizens — regardless of the opinions they may wish to express,” Rietz said.
Last September, SJP received a letter revoking its status as an RSO. SJP maintains that the University’s policies on expressive activity post-encampment have hindered the ability of sociopolitical groups to organize.
“The new policies are not something to be taken lightly,” the spokesperson said. “The University’s trying to crack down on students and charge them with student disciplinary actions.”
Robin Kaler, associate chancellor for strategic communications and marketing, said in January that the University updated its policies in response to protests last spring. She said the changes were designed to distinguish between protected expression and activities that could disrupt campus operations.
“Recent revisions to campus policies were intended to clarify the boundary between lawful exercise of First Amendment rights and activity that creates safety hazards or disrupts educational activities, while also providing students and others with resources to make their voices heard,” Kaler told WCIA.
During Friday’s protest, SJP called on the University to divest from weapons manufacturers like Boeing, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin — companies the group alleges are complicit in the killing of Palestinians.
According to an investigation by The Daily Illini, the University holds $27.2 million in investments linked to Israel’s military action in Gaza, based on data from fiscal year 2023.
In addition to calling for divestment, SJP criticized the University’s collaborations with companies that supply Israel with weapons and military equipment. One speaker accused the University of prioritizing student career opportunities over human rights.
“(The University) was so much more concerned with their precious engineering students getting internships over actual genocide that is going on right now,” said the anonymous attendee in a speech to the crowd. “They are far more concerned about helping people get jobs at Caterpillar and Boeing than actually stopping Caterpillar and Boeing.”
Both Caterpillar and Boeing have long-term partnerships with the University.
According to the Office of Corporate Relations, “Boeing and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have had a longstanding relationship … Generous contributions made by Boeing to the university have allowed for enriched learning experiences.”
Caterpillar operates the Champaign Caterpillar Innovation Center at the University’s Research Park, where it conducts research and development in engineering, data analytics and simulation technology.
Boeing, Caterpillar, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are targets of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. These companies were cited in a 2024 statement by United Nations officials who urged an end to arms transfers to Israel. The officials said continued transfers could contribute to serious human rights violations.
The University did not immediately respond to a request for comment on calls for divestment from companies that supply weapons and military equipment to Israel.
At Friday’s emergency protest, a group of I-Team members observed the proceedings from a distance, four of whom were wearing I-Team apparel or otherwise identified themselves as members.
Present I-Team members declined to be interviewed on record. Members referred The DI to I-Team coordinator and Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Advocacy & Dean of Students Stephen Bryan, who declined to comment. Bryan referred questions to a University FAQ.
