SJP Week of RAGE Coverage: Day 1
Photo by Durriya Ahmed
Image Description: Protest signs held up in the sky with trees in the background
Yesterday marked one year of constant warfare in occupied Palestine and the beginning of a nationwide call for a week of RAGE by the national chapter of Students for Justice Palestine (SJP). This ‘Week of RAGE’ is meant to represent Pro-Palestine students who have been making active calls in the last 365 days to stop the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, and more recently, the broader Middle East.
The UCLA SJP chapter began its ‘Week of RAGE’ with an event titled “Meet the Martyrs” in Dickinson Court North. Around 150 people participated in the political programming, including mass chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” in English and Arabic. At the same time, protesters held a banner stating “DISCLOSE, DIVEST” (pictured below). While Pro-Palestinian protestors remained calm and collected in the face of adversity, in this case, over-policing, Zionist agitators attempted to bring attention to themselves. They interrupted programming by waving Israeli flags and speaking over Pro-Palestine students.
Image Description: A group of pro-Palestine protestors walking, waving Palestinian flags, holding up signs, wearing keffiyehs, and in the front of the march, the banner says “DISCLOSE, DIVEST”
The event began in Dickinson Court North and later moved through Bunche Hall to the Broad Arts Center to Dickison Court. Protestors spent the evening chanting, praying, and grieving the lost lives of Palestinian martyrs. Security presence increased as protestors mobilized, though they did not engage, some took photos and videos in attempts to mock and intimate protesters. Programming was stopped out of respect for prayer, but security formed a line in front, which felt voyeuristic and aggressive towards the Muslim students.
While this protest was happening, a reading of a play titled “October 7” written by the Zionist organization, Hillel at UCLA, was taking place at the Fowler Museum. The content of this play consists of interviews, conducted by an Irish Catholic couple, of Israelis in occupied Palestine post-October 7, 2023. The Fowler Museum was blocked off and protected by private security (pictured below) which raises the question: Where was this protection and policing when students were attacked on April 30th in the Gaza Solidarity Encampment?
Image Description: CSC Security standing with their bikes in front of barricades that are blocking off the Fowler Museum, extra security stands behind those barricades
FEM Newsmagazine stands in solidarity with the people of Palestine. We support the calls for action by student groups to get our universities to disclose our investments and divest from war machines, as they did for the South African Apartheid. FEM will continue monitoring events and demonstrations throughout the week on our social media platforms.
-FEM Senior Staff
