At noon on Wednesday, October 25, students from across the Bi-Co walked out of their classes and convened on Founders’ Green at Haverford in opposition to the ongoing war in Gaza and in support of resistance to the continued Israeli occupation of Palestine. Jointly organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Students for Abolition, Liberation, and Transformation (SALT) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), the walkout prompted mass student turnout and an eventual occupation of Founder’s Hall by students. Arriving with masks, signs, and prepared speeches, students were eager to stand in solidarity with Palestine during this contentious time, carrying on the historically strong Bi-Co tradition of protest with care and enthusiasm.
When asked to share their thoughts with the Bi-Co student body, walkout organizers stated that no one sentence could truly define the generational grief and loss experienced by the Palestinian people, though there were feelings of weariness, anger, and numbness in the wake of this latest catastrophic event in the decades-long struggle for Palestinian liberation.
Organizers also stated that it is the responsibility of the students to ensure that both Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges are held accountable, citing that many other nations such as Yemen and Syria, are doing all they can for Palestine even despite their own struggles, thus prompting American students to take up the increased responsibility that comes with increased privilege and power.
As for a message directly to Bi-Co administration, organizers were adamant that the administration should respect and acknowledge the existence of Palestinian students on campus, or, as the popular protest saying goes, “expect resistance.” Organizers added that silence and neutrality is to stand with the oppressor, so the administration must speak up or face backlash for effectively siding with the oppressive Israeli state.
Amid this crucial moment, organizers also wanted to share ways for students across the Bi-Co to get involved in the Palestinian liberation movement. Organizers stated that donations and protests truly make a difference in this moment as well as citing the importance of public discourse and education, recognizing that not everyone who is neutral on the conflict is bigoted, and may simply be uneducated.
As for action steps immediately following the protest’s 1pm conclusion, organizers urged students to reflect on the rally and why it happened, as well as donating (or donating again) and to send an email to administration currently linked in the SJP Instagram bio detailing student requests to administration in support of Palestine. These were also all things that the organizers planned on doing themselves.
Students present at the walkout also had much to say about the event. One student expressed that they felt they should have seen everyone in the Bi-Co at the event, considering the Bi-Co’s long history of and reputation for student self-government and protest. They added that there was no defense for not participating, stating that they felt many students stayed out of the issue due to a sense that it did not personally affect them. This student’s message to the Bi-Co was that standing up for Palestine is all students’ duty as Bi-Co students, and that protesting should be an implicit part of signing up to be a participant in the Bi-Co community.
Simultaneously, students were also happy to see the existing turnout at the walkout, citing that the walkout called up memories of the 2021 strike. Students expressed a combination of hope, encouragement and mutual concern for one another. They were happy to watch as more and more students joined the protest as time went on. Students also hoped that this movement would gain energy and traction on campus with each passing day and action, with the end goal of reaching every student and breaking them out of their complicity.
Haverford’s official statement on the war, from October 12, read, “Haverford prepares students for bold engagement and ethical leadership through an incomparable educational experience. We root our mission in values drawn from our Quaker history of seeing the light in every person, living a life of continual learning or revelation, and contributing constructively to community.” Bryn Mawr’s statement also neglected to support either side of the conflict, instead directing students to mental health resources no campus and announcing plans for a vigil.
The general consensus at the end of the walkout seemed to be one of optimistic solidarity, with many students sticking around after the official end to discuss, debrief and lean on one another. When asked for any final thoughts, one organizer smiled, shook their head and said simply, “Free Palestine.”
Good report