Hundreds of students across Chicago walked out of class Monday, to honor the thousands of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the start of the war one year ago.
Students at Northwestern University, DePaul University and the University of Illinois at Chicago joined others nationwide, to protest the war in Gaza and their school’s responses to on-campus organizing.
“It’s been over a year since the genocide of Gaza has started,” Henna Ayesh, an organizer with the DePaul University Divest Coalition, told the Sun-Times. “We’re here not only to honor our martyrs … but because we’ve witnessed universities nationwide respond very racistly to their own students who are Palestinian.”
At DePaul University in Lincoln Park, dozens of protesters began their demonstration by reading aloud the names of infants killed in Palestine since Oct. 7, 2023, followed by a march to the student center.
“This isn’t just a Palestinian issue, this is a humanitarian issue, this is a human rights issue,” Ayesh told the crowd.
As names were read, students placed shoes and stuffed animals across the lawn symbolizing the magnitude of the loss.
DePaul students are part of a nationwide movement protesting Israel’s bombardment of Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis. Israeli attacks have killed at least 40,000 Palestinians.
In the spring, the DePaul University Divest Coalition joined others across the country establishing an encampment on the university’s quad to express support for the people of Gaza and demand their schools cut financial ties with Israel.
Weeks later, discussions with the university administration reached an impasse, and the DePaul encampment was cleared.
“We have watched our university disregard and turn against their pro-Palestinian students, we have watched them frame us, frame us with lies and threaten our right to be here on campus,” said one DePaul protester who asked not to be named.
On Northwestern University’s campus, protesters shared a similar message, that their organizing for Gaza did not end with their encampment.
“The university thought we were finished,” one speaker said. “We are picketing here to say, ‘We are back.”
Few speakers identified themselves, and many wore masks in response to what they said was “ immense surveillance,” from university officials.
One organizer, who did not share their name, said they hoped the protest would prompt fellow students to ask themselves: “Are you walking out and standing on the side of the oppressed global majority that wants to stop the genocide, or are you standing on the side of Zionists and administrators who profit from the plunder of Palestine?”
At the start of the walkout about 1 p.m., members of Northwestern’s Event Support Team had a conversation with organizers about the school’s demonstration policy. The policy restricts student protests before 3 p.m. in the area where the walkout was planned.
“We want to remind our classmates that as we go to class, there are students who will never go to class again, who never had the opportunity to go to class,” another speaker said, explaining the purpose of the picket.
Northwestern administration, staff, and a small group of counter-protesters with Israeli flags and yellow ribbons symbolizing those taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, stood on the perimeter.
“It is kind of heartbreaking on a day of mourning for us that they are doing this,” Seth Black-Diamond, a Jewish Northwestern student, told the Sun-Times.
Another Jewish student told the Sun-Times they felt a duty to join in the protest of Israel’s actions.
“When I see the signs of genocide I have the responsibility to say something,” they said.
Northwestern protesters eventually relocated to a nearby park after they were told to leave school property or face possible suspension.
In a statement to the Sun-Times, Northwestern spokesperson Jon Yates said the university issued several warnings to protesters before threatening suspension.
“Northwestern has already begun an investigation to determine the identities of those who violated policies,” Yates said. “As the individuals are identified they will receive disciplinary notification from the university.”
DePaul protesters say they were told to leave the quad and relocated to a corner outside their student center, where they held a brief rally before peacefully leaving.
DePaul officials have not released any statement on Monday’s protest. DePaul students have another protest planned for Thursday afternoon.
