Big Protest against Israel Held at Northeastern Univ.; More Than 100 Students and Faculty Members Take Part

 Northeastern University in Boston launched a large ptotest against Israel yesterday which was joined by students from Berklee College of Music, the Boston Globe website reports today (April 26, 2024). 

"I'm feeling really invigorated and inspired and agitated in a good way," said Ixchel, an upperclass student at Northeastern.

By 8 a.m. tents sprung up on Centennial Common. Throughout the day more than 100 students and faculty members banded together, chanting and linking arms in a circle around the common at the center of campus.

"I think it's really beautiful to see that kind of solifarity, said Maya, a senior at Northeastern.

 As for the large group of Northeastern police officers who arrived in riot gearto oversee the encampment, Maya said their presence was "uncomfortable and scary" and she felt they were " trying to intimidate students." 

"We are students who are expressing our free speech, and we should have the right to do that like any other political organizing group that doesn't get based with that kind of police repression." Maya said. 

Around 5:30p.m., student organizers gathered crowds into the center of the grassy common. "Don't talk t o cops," one organizer said into a microphone. "Don't talk to administrators; administrators are cops."

Some 15 tents dotted the grass, many covered in tarps and Palestinian flags. Handmade cardboard signs were spread on the common. "The cold is coming in, said one student , who noted that hand warmers and extra blankets were in ample supply.

Around 7 p.m. students from Berklee College of Music marched rto Northeastern 's campus to join the encampment. 

Jake, 20, a junior at Northeastern studying computer science, is Jewish. As he sat on a bench outside of t he grassy common with a group of friends, he said he is wary of "protests that  start out with good intentions but then turn antisemitic. " 

"I come out here to support rto  other Jewish students,to show we're not going to be intimidated out of being on our own campus, " said Jake who is from New Jersey.