The signs read “UTA for Palestine,” “Ceasefire now” and “Stop arming Israel!”
In keffiyehs and carrying Palestinian flags, about 150 protesters gathered outside of University of Texas at Arlington’s Central Library to protest the ongoing Israel war in Gaza and to support nationwide protests at college campuses.
Students at the protest said that they’re gathering at a grim time in history. One psychology student who has family in the West Bank in Palestine said she can’t just watch the “genocide” happen and not do anything about it. She thinks her university shouldn’t remain silent on the issue. A Jewish community member came to the protest because she thinks now is an “inflection point” in pro-Palestinian protests, and it’s important for Jews to stand in solidarity with Palestinians.
Protesters interviewed for this story said they didn’t want to provide their full names for fear of being singled out for their views.
The UTA demonstration comes at a time of college protest nationwide, a week after Columbia University students set up “Gaza Solidarity encampments” in the middle of their campus and more than a hundred protesters were arrested. Classes at that university moved to a hybrid model. College students across the country are calling on their universities to cut ties to Israel and cease arms investments. At the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday, students locked arms in front of the UT Tower. More than two dozen protestors were arrested on that campus.
The Arlington demonstration was peaceful. A college administrator and a campus police officer followed the march through the campus. Students chanted, “Free, free Palestine” and “UTA, you can’t hide. You’re supporting genocide.” Students also chanted for divestment, even though a formal call has not been made to the university administration.
Students for Justice in Palestine officers said that the chants for divestment were “a step in the right direction.” The student group has not formally asked UTA administration to cut ties with Israel and weapon manufacturers, but they plan to organize that next semester.
UTA President Jennifer Cowley sent a message out to the UTA community about the protest.
“One of UTA’s institutional responsibilities is to provide opportunities for civil discourse, regardless of how controversial, uncomfortable, or emotional a topic may be. This University expects that our freedom of speech policy and our Student Code of Conduct will be followed,” the statement said.
Shomial Ahmad is a higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report, in partnership with Open Campus. Contact her at shomial.ahmad@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.