Title: Over 1,000 Demonstrators Rally in Harvard Yard in Support of Gaza Amid Escalating Israel-Gaza Conflict
Published: October 14, 2023, at 6:48 p.m.
On Saturday, more than 1,000 demonstrators gathered in Harvard Yard to express their solidarity with Gaza in light of an expected ground invasion by Israel. The demonstrators condemned Harvard University for a perceived lack of support for Palestinian students and complicity in what they described as “genocide.”
Organized jointly by the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee and Graduate Students 4 Palestine, the rally was originally planned for Friday but was postponed due to safety concerns, as stated in an Instagram post by GS4P.
The rally took place a week after surprise attacks by Hamas on Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,300 Israelis and the hostage-taking of 150 individuals, according to Israeli authorities. In response, Israel declared war on Hamas and launched counter-offensives, leading to over 2,200 Palestinian casualties as of Saturday afternoon, as reported by Gazan health authorities.
Israel’s military is expected to carry out a ground invasion in the coming days, prompting Israeli authorities to order the evacuation of over one million Palestinians in the northern region of Gaza within 24 hours. This order has raised concerns about the potential “devastating humanitarian consequences,” according to spokesman for the U.N. Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric. Hamas, however, has instructed Gazans not to comply with the evacuation order.
During the rally, an unidentified spokesperson for the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee called on the university to press federal officials to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza. They also demanded that Harvard disclose any direct or indirect investments in companies they claimed were “complicit in genocide and human rights abuses towards Palestinians.”
When approached for comment, university spokesperson Jason A. Newton declined to provide a statement.
The rally attendees also called on Harvard President Claudine Gay to publicly denounce anti-Palestinian racism and doxxing attacks. In response to these demands, Gay, in a video message on Thursday, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to free expression and rejected calls to punish or name students involved in a previous joint statement condemning the Israeli government.
The joint statement, signed by the Palestine Solidarity Committee and numerous other student organizations, received widespread criticism and sparked outrage across the nation. More than 4,000 Harvard affiliates expressed their disapproval of the statement in two separate open letters.
Since its publication, students affiliated with signatory groups have faced threats and doxxing attacks. This week, a truck displaying students’ names and faces circulated Harvard’s campus. At least ten organizations have retracted their support for the joint statement.
During the rally, speakers, including Kojo Acheampong, a co-founder of the African and African American Resistance Organization, expressed their support for the Palestinian resistance and drew comparisons to other liberation movements throughout history. Chants of “free, free, Palestine,” “no justice, no peace,” and “no more funding Israel’s crimes” were heard throughout the demonstration.
Following the rally, a spokesperson for the Palestine Solidarity Committee clarified that not all speakers were members of the organization, including Acheampong. They emphasized that the committee strongly opposes violence against civilians and does not endorse any message condoning such violence.
Among the attendees was Andres Vega, a Boston resident, who attended the rally in solidarity with the cause, suggesting that more people should have shown up due to the issue’s importance.
Please note that this article will be updated as the situation develops.
Editor’s Note: Online commenting on this article has been subject to premoderation to ensure student safety.
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