The Leftist Collective and Bama Students for Palestine will host the “Hands off Gaza!” rally Thursday from 6-7 p.m. on the Quad. This follows a variety of demonstrations held by the group, including demonstrations last May, September and December.
The groups last protested in December, demanding a ceasefire resolution and “full disclosure of UA’s investment in the apartheid state of Israel.” Each demonstration has drawn opposition from students supporting Israel, many of whom are Jewish, accusing the protests of being antisemitic, though organizers have denounced antisemitism.
The rally comes after a ceasefire deal was reached in the Israel-Hamas war and progressed through its first phase, and the two countries have started to negotiate what Phase 2 of the plan will look like. However, on the eve of Ramadan, Israel began to block all humanitarian aid attempting to enter Gaza, as Israeli officials accused Hamas of refusing a U.S.-backed outline for continuing talks.
“We are gathering to reiterate our unwavering opposition to genocide and forced displacement,” said Omorose Emwanta, a sophomore neuroscience major. “As with our previous protests, we generally have three demands: a ceasefire resolution, full disclosure of UA’s investments in corporations supporting Israel’s genocide and a subsequent divestment.”
The Bama Students for Palestine and the Leftist Collective said they see the blockade as a direct attack on the ceasefire and on Palestine.
“This war crime violates the ceasefire, and we demand that UA divest from the ethnic cleansing occuring in Palestine,” Bama Students for Palestine said on Instagram.
Ethan Henry, a senior majoring in economics, said, “The University of Alabama maintains close financial ties to arms manufacturers and defense contractors. For example, with Lockheed Martin, a defense contractor that builds many of the fighter jets and Hellfire missiles wreaking havoc on Gaza and surrounding areas.”
In 2018, the University received a $15 million donation from Marilyn Hewson, then-president and CEO of Lockheed Martin, to benefit the Culverhouse College of Business. This donation then spurred other donations and resulted in the construction of Hewson Hall named in her honor.
“After mounting pressure from students, many universities have taken steps towards divestment,” Emwanta said. “We want the University of Alabama to follow this trend and end its relationship with weapons manufacturers.”
Rally organizers shared their full list of demands with The Crimson White:
- Stop allowing Lockheed Martin to recruit on campus.
- Rename Hewson Hall, which is named after Marillyn Hewson.
- Disclose a list of investments made using UA’s endowment fund, and divest from corporations that are supporting the genocide in Gaza.
- Divest from arms manufacturers.
- Release a public statement calling for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The group said it is also rallying to express its disapproval of President Donald Trump’s proposed plans for Gaza. The social media flyer for the rally contained a headline from TIME magazine: “Trump Proposes U.S. Take Over Gaza, Level It and Build Resorts”.
“As students, we need to take responsibility for the actions of our university and make our stance clear. We have all seen the devastation in Gaza and the dehumanization of Palestinians that our institutions have facilitated and normalized,” Henry said. “Until we, as students, demand change, our academic institutions will continue to engage in the research, investments, and partnerships that enable violence in Palestine, Yemen, and other nations ravaged by U.S. militarism.”
