Over 100 students participated in a walkout organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee Thursday. The demonstration at the Main Mall was held as part of their Week of Action in support of the people of Gaza that began Monday, coinciding with the anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attacks that killed 1,200. Israel’s response has killed 41,000 Palestinians, according to the Associated Press.
Students and faculty in attendance at the walkout called for The University of Texas/Texas A&M Investment Management Company, or UTIMCO, to divest from weapons manufacturers, including General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin.
Demonstrators chanted and listened to speeches from students and staff. Karma Chávez, co-founder of the Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine, condemned the university and state response to pro-Palestinian protests which took place at the end of April. Chavez specifically mentioned protesters’ clashes with police, the disciplinary proceedings student protestors now face and the suspension of the Palestine Solidarity Committee, a registered student organization.
“We’ve seen the bravery of our students … who insist that this does not happen in our names or with our money,” Chávez said before repeating divestment demands.
The demonstration comes less than a month after UT announced the creation of the new Event Readiness and Response Unit in the Dean of Students Office to help organizations plan “events that may garner expressive activities,” Katie McGee, associate vice president and dean of students, said in an email last month.
The Event Readiness and Response Unit webpage includes guidelines for demonstrations, including when and where amplified sound can be used and that demonstrators must allow for “at least a ten-foot perimeter of clearance around academic buildings.”
Another professor who spoke at the demonstration appeared to reference these rules while addressing the crowd.
“If they tell you you can’t amplify your sound, you whisper louder,” she said.
Staff members from the Dean of Students office were in attendance at the demonstration, in addition to over half a dozen UTPD officers. No confrontations occurred between demonstrators and administration or UTPD.
A small number of counter protestors held flags behind the crowd for parts of the demonstration.
In addition to Thursday’s walkout, PSC also held other events throughout the week to mark their Week of Action. They held a study-in Monday, a teach-in Tuesday and an art build Wednesday.
“Throughout this genocide, the people of Gaza have stood steadfast, resilient, and unwavering,” PSC wrote in an Instagram post about the Week of Action. “It is for them, and for all those suffering under colonial violence, that we rise.”
Other organizations have also held events to mark the Oct. 7 anniversary. Longhorn Students for Israel held a “Together We Stand” event to honor those killed on Oct. 7, 2023. Atidna International will be holding a vigil for all innocent lives lost Sunday.
