Students for Justice in Palestine held a demonstration at The Arch on Monday to criticize Northwestern’s response to the Israel-Hamas war, show solidarity with NU’s dining workers and protest the federal government’s retaliation against student protesters.
About 20 demonstrators listened to three speakers’ statements, criticizing NU for “aiding and abetting genocide abroad.” The speakers encouraged the University to pressure Compass Group to sign a contract with dining workers and raised awareness for repercussions aimed at student demonstrators across the country.
Demonstrators also repeated chants and distributed informative packets and flyers about protest safety — including guidance on staying anonymous and how to respond if approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
The protest follows the Trump administration’s efforts to revoke international students’ visas across the country for demonstrating their support for Palestine.
A demonstrator, who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, read a statement calling for the University to end its “cowardice” related to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Students also voiced their support for NU dining workers at the protest, who recently paused their strike for higher wages and pensions.
Another participant at the demonstration, who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, read a statement from Students Organizing for Labor Rights calling for the University to pressure Compass Group to sign a new contract with workers.
“The Northwestern student community stands not only with struggles abroad but struggles on our campus as well,” the participant read from a statement at the demonstration.
Students were not the only ones advocating for NU to change its stances on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Evanston resident Clif Brown stands in front of The Arch with a sign and Palestinian flag roughly two times each week. He arrived on campus to do so again today toward the end of SJP’s demonstration.
Brown said he did not know there was a protest until he arrived. However, he said, he understands where students are coming from and the unique issues they face.
“I sympathize with them, because they can’t use their freedom of speech like I can because they’re students (and) the administration can come after them,” Brown said.
Participants ended Monday’s demonstration with a statement criticizing ICE’s detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University who voiced support for Palestine.
“You may not be a student activist, but the growing fascist movement will not discriminate,” a participant read from the third statement at the demonstration.
Marissa Fernandez contributed reporting.
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Blusky: @aknewsom.bsky.social
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