The Daily Emerald is providing live coverage of events held by student organizations today in remembrance of the Oct. 7 attacks by Palestinian political and militant group Hamas against Israel.
As of 12 p.m., the student organization Ducks 4 Israel set up posters on the Memorial Quad. There is a scheduled march and rally at the Eugene Federal Courthouse by the Springfield-Eugene Anti-Imperialist Coalition at 5:30 p.m., as well as a commemoration by Ducks 4 Israel, Oregon Hillel, and Alpha Epsilon Pi at the EMU Amphitheater at 6:00 p.m.
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Updated 7:00 p.m.
Demonstrators are cutting across the EMU Green to march down University Street next to the Pioneer Cemetery.
Demonstrators began slowly dispersing in groups. Demonstrators fully dispersed by the time they reached University and 18th Street.
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Updated 6:00 p.m.
In the Erb Memorial Union Amphitheater, roughly 100 students and community members gathered for a commemoration held by Oregon Hillel, Ducks 4 Israel and Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi.
Israeli flags and candles and the faces of the 101 hostages were taped to the steps of the amphitheater. Six police officers from both the University of Oregon Police Department and Eugene Police Department stood outside three police cars observing the commemoration.
Oregon Hillel Executive Director Lenny Steinberg began the commemoration with a speech.
“The pain of this horrible day still lingers as we commemorate the lives we lost and pray for the hostages that remain in Gaza. Even in our darkest moments, our commitment to one another cannot be broken,” Steinberg said.
Speakers began reading poems in both Hebrew and English. They later led attendees through song and prayer.
Jordan Zicklin, a Ducks 4 Israel member, described how he was feeling on the anniversary of the attack.
“It’s hard for the community and me, it’s hard, but when we come together it makes it all that much more powerful and meaningful and it makes me feel so good we can come together but it’s hard,” Zicklin said.
Jacob Mailman, an AEPi member, expressed the importance of strength through their community, as well.
“I hate the death, [and] I do mourn my brothers and sisters in Israel and I feel like we have a strong sense of community,” Mailman said.
One pro-Palestine demonstrator marching from the Eugene Federal Courthouse to the EMU said, “As a Jewish person I don’t want genocide happening in my name. I know what genocide looks like, and this is it.”
The demonstrator did not wish to identify themself, and went by the alias Sunburn.
As the crowd continued to march from the courthouse, they chanted “There is only one solution, Intifada Revolution.”
At 6:40 p.m., the members of the coalition passed the site of the commemoration, which had concluded minutes earlier. Demonstrators were chanting and drumming. More UOPD and EPD arrived on the scene.
Steinberg warned attendees of the commemoration that the coalition was approaching and offered support for students who felt unsafe.
“If you need a ride or need to be escorted to wherever you may need to go, please find one of our staff members and we will be happy to take you to your dorm, your apartment, TBI (Temple Beth Israel), wherever you may need to be. I strongly encourage you to just not engage,” Steinberg said.
Steinberg quickly ended the commemoration as the coalition came into view.
“I’m going to stop right there so we can all leave peacefully and enjoy the rest of our evening,” Steinberg said.
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Updated 5:30 p.m.
Approximately 100 pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered in front of the Eugene Federal Courthouse.
Some demonstrators were waving Palestinian flags and holding signs that read, “Drop the Charges,” “Stop Arming Genocide” and “Respect Existence or Expect Resistance.”
Demonstrators chanted “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free,” “Glory to the Martyrs” and “Victory to the resistance.“
A speaker at the demonstration addressed the crowd saying, “We must make a clear call for the victory of Palestinian resistance and the fall of Zionism.”
Demonstrators Marched in the middle of the street on Broadway, turning onto 13th Avenue.
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Updated 12:00 p.m.
On the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks by Palestinian political and militant group Hamas against Israel, various student groups and organizations have honored the date with different events.
UO student organization Ducks 4 Israel staked posters of the 101 remaining Israeli hostages on the Memorial Quad around 11 a.m.
Rachel Lennard, the vice president of internal affairs for Ducks 4 Israel, described the purpose of the event.
“We are putting their faces up today to remind people that it’s been a year and we really want them to come home,” Lennard said.
Lennard said that she wants to remind people what is at stake during this time of worldwide tension.
“For me, this is a really good representation of the pain that is felt on both sides. This is a really polarizing issue and this gives me the perspective that what’s happening [in] my life might not really be that bad,” Lennard said.
Ducks 4 Israel has planned to hold a vigil at the EMU Amphitheater today at 6 p.m. to continue their events of remembrance.
“This is a really complex issue and people that support Israel, you’re not alone. We’re here to help people not feel so isolated,” Lennard said.
Farrah Jacoby, a Jewish student who saw the posters on her way to class, described how it felt to be Jewish on campus.
“I obviously wasn’t around for the Holocaust, but this has been compared to it. It’s really scary being a Jew on campus given how many people don’t like Jews and Israelis, so it’s been really hard,” Jacoby said.
She said that she appreciated the commemoration.
“It’s hard to see that there [are] this many people being held captive but I like that they have it out here so that everyone who walks by can see it,” Jacoby said.
The next event scheduled is a march and rally from the student organization Students for Justice in Palestine at 5:30 p.m. at the Eugene Federal Courthouse.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article stated that the march and rally would be held by Students for Justice in Palestine. This is not the case. The march and rally was held by the Eugene-Springfield Anti-Imperialist Coalition.
In addition, the commemoration was previously called a “vigil” and was also hosted by Oregon Hillel and Alpha Epsilon Pi, in addition to Ducks 4 Israel.
Sasha Love, Corey Hoffman, Riley Fox, Joseph Chiu, Mathias Lehman-Winters, Ysabella Sosa and Jasmine Saboorian contributed to this reporting.
