November 9, 2023
On October 7, 2023 Hamas, the foreign terrorist organization governing modern day Palestine carried out a terrorist attack against Israel, killing 1200 people, including 40 Americans, and kidnapping hundreds more. This was the ultimate catalyst that pushed the 75-year-conflict over the brink and began the war between Israel and Palestine. In response to the terrorist attack of Oct. 7, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded with an all out force, Gaza, the most densely populated piece of land on earth. Striking indiscriminately with missiles and bombs, as of Oct 18, 2023 15,726 Palestinians had been killed, turning the response to the terrorist attack by Hamas into what people and nations around the world consider and all out genocide. Protests erupted world wide, but most notably in the United States where political leaders have taken a staunch stance in support of Israel and almost outright refuse to denounce the actions of Israel and Netanyahu. Gen-Z with the driving force of the movement have took to college campuses across the country in their stance against Israel and the genocide in Palestine. ON November 9, 2023 Students for Justice in Palestine called for a national walkout and 180 chapters and other groups answered the call resulting in thousands of students, staff, faculty and activists walking out and taking space on college campuses in protests against the United States’ role and complacency in the war on Gaza.
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These photos were taken during the campus walkout at the University of Texas (UT). Some 1200 students walked out of class at 12pm and gathered in front of Gregory Gym. Organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC), a campus group dedicated to the liberation of Palestine, the protesters accused the university of harboring an anti-palestine environment and called for the university and UT Presindent Hartzell to cut ties with Israel. Specifically calling for the University to divest from all investment in weapons manufacturers that aided Israel. Met with little police presence and few anti-protesters, protesters marched to the main hall in the rain in view of the Texas Capitol Building calling for a ceasefire and the end of Texas’ and the University’s support of Israel.