Hunter
11/10/23
A pro-Palestine protest by roughly 50 students on the University of Iowa campus Thursday led to a walkout from classes.
The Daily Iowan reports the protest was held outside of President Barbara Wilson’s office, located at Jessup Hall, and was part of a nationwide walkout that involved Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa, Coe College, and Grinnell College. Students called for a ceasefire after over 10,000 deaths in Gaza were reported since October 7th.
Yahir Jimenez is a first-year student at the U of I; he said president Wilson’s silence makes her administration complicit in the injustice. An open letter presented to Wilson’s office demanded that collaborating with Collins Aerospace and Lockheed Martin, who have provided defense weapons to the Israeli government, be ceased.
The DI also reports the UI chapter of Young Americans for Freedom announced its “Stand Up for Israel Memorial” event this Monday, where the UI students plan to honor Hamas’ hostages by placing 200 Israeli flags in Hubbard Park and observing a moment of silence. The organization said they “unequivocally condemn” Hamas, anti-Zionism, and antisemitism on the UI campus.