Pro-Palestine protesters made headlines on Saturday as they attempted to set up encampments on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. The protesters, numbering about 300, were demanding an end to the war in Gaza and calling on the university to divest from Boeing Co., a major supplier of military equipment to Israel.
Among those arrested during the protest was Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. St. Louis Aldermanic President Megan Green, who also participated in the protest, expressed dismay at the police response, which she described as “jovial” and “loving” before the arrests began.
The protesters, who had marched from Forest Park to the university campus, set up about 10 tents outside of Olin Library. Despite warnings from police to disperse, the protesters moved to Tisch Park on campus and set up the tents again.
Chanting slogans like “WashU you can’t hide, you support a genocide” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” the protesters remained defiant. Police eventually gave them a final warning to disperse, but many protesters locked arms and refused to leave.
The protest, which drew attention from curious students studying inside the library, highlighted the ongoing activism in support of Palestine on college campuses across the United States. The demands of the protesters included cutting ties with Boeing, Israeli educational institutions, and releasing a statement condemning the ongoing genocide in Palestine.
The response from university officials and law enforcement to the protest has sparked debate and criticism, with some calling for a more open dialogue and respect for free speech. The protesters, many of whom were not students, remained steadfast in their call for justice and peace in the region.