On April 30, hundreds of San Diego State University students participated in a walkout demanding the university to cut financial ties with Israel amidst the conflict in Gaza. The protest, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine, San Diego 4 Palestine Coalition, and SDSU’s Middle Eastern and North African Student Union, started at Hepner Hall and continued with a march through the campus.
Similar demonstrations have taken place at various campuses nationwide, with activists calling for divestment from companies supporting Israel. The student groups at SDSU specifically asked for the university to divest from Israel’s actions in Gaza and Palestine and for President Adela De La Torre to acknowledge issues of genocide and discrimination on campus.
While SDSU emphasized the importance of free speech and peaceful protest, they also stressed the need for respectful dialogue and interaction among the diverse campus community. The university expressed zero tolerance for harassment or discrimination and assured ongoing communication with various campus groups.
Law enforcement presence was noted at the walkout, with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and San Diego Police Department monitoring the situation. At UC San Diego, a resolution for divestment was passed, although the university opposed it, citing a consistent stance against boycotts and divestment from Israel.
Protests at other campuses like USC, UCLA, UC Irvine, and UC Riverside have also been ongoing, with demonstrators staging encampments to push for their demands.
