Pro-Palestinian protesters at U of M take list of demands to Board of Regents
MINNEAPOLIS — Students at the University of Minnesota are expected to join other colleges across the country on Friday for a fourth straight day in lifting their voices and asking for an end to the bloodshed in Gaza.
On Wednesday, students marched in Minneapolis with a list of demands to the McNamara Alumni Center and gave them to the Board of Regents, the school's top financial decision-makers.
The group is asking the university to divest from companies such as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Boeing and Honeywell, as well as ban them from recruiting on campus. They also are demanding the university divest "militarized Israeli institutions that are currently aiding the ongoing genocide in Gaza" such as Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Haifa University and Global E3's Technion.
Wednesday's protest lasted well into the night, wrapping up just before midnight.
Hundreds of people have been arrested nationwide as they demand the U.S. take more action against Israel for the war in Gaza. Some universities have canceled in-person classes or graduation ceremonies. Police arrested nine people earlier this week at the University of Minnesota for putting up an encampment on campus.
The protests come as Israel's war against Hamas continues in Gaza, where the Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 34,000 people have been killed, most of them women and children.
The U's chapter of Students for Democratic Society says they will not stop until their voices are heard.
"Our demands are for the University of Minnesota to divest immediately all its investments in Israel immediately. To cut all ties all ties with Israel. All academic, economic ties," said Jasper Nordin with SDS. "All amnesty for any students, faculty members, what have you, who were arrested or facing any kind of consequences from protesting, and just no attacks on the student movement."
Some Jewish students told WCCO the protests, especially some chants, make them feel unsafe on campus, and they are hoping for an end to the conflict overseas.
Minnesota Hillel and JCRC are hosting a press conference at 1 p.m. to address what they call "anti-Jewish rhetoric" on campus.
CAIR-Minnesota also plans to announce legal action against the university for allegedly firing a Muslim employee as a result of the protests. They'll explain more at a news conference at 11:30 a.m.
