SJP members stage a sit-in outside of President Scholz’s office, wrists tied together with rope. (Colleen Bogdan/Emerald)
At 12 p.m. on April 12, a “rally for Palestine,” organized by the University of Oregon Students for Justice in Palestine, University of Oregon Jewish Voice for Peace, Jewish Voice for Peace Eugene, Springfield-Eugene Anti-Imperialist Coalition and Free Palestine Eugene, took place outside of Johnson Hall, while 12 SJP members held a sit-in inside the hall.
Nearly 100 people attended the rally, holding signs saying “IT’S NOT WAR, IT’S GENOCIDE” and “DON’T STOP TALKING/POSTING/MARCHING ABOUT PALESTINE.”
The rally hosted several speakers, each sharing the importance of eight primary demands they have for UO administration. Their demands are:
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Immediate divestment from Jasper Ridge
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Implement a Boycott, Divestment and Sanction campaign on campus
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Establish a commission to oversee the incorporation of the BDS campaign
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Distribute education and resources to faculty regarding their retirement plan
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Protect those that express solidarity with Palestine
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Issue a statement affirming the safety of those who are or may be affected by Islamophobia, Anti-semitism and Zionism
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Cease all academic exchanges with Israeli universities
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Educate students on the Israel-Palestine conflict
“I don’t want my religion to be weaponized to justify genocide,” JVP member Rocky Stern said. “I believe in all these key Jewish values that show that we should be preserving human life. The number one Mitzvah is to preserve human life, and I feel that the actions of Israel are actively going against the ideas of Judaism and are dragging us all through the mud.”
The rally was an all-day event, with demonstrators staying outside to show their support through chalk messages and a list of those who lost their lives in the conflict.
“We’re encouraging students to make art [and] share inspirational messages, things they believe should be heard, and we’re hoping that people walking by or people looking at us around the windows of Johnson Hall are able to see what students have to say about this and the power that we’re building,” Abbi Mitchell, a graduate student, said.
At noon, 12 members from SJP and JVP each interlocked together by ropes, walked into Johnson Hall, formed a circle and intended to stay until UO Administration addressed the members or until the building closed at 5 p.m.
“We’re aware that the building closes at five and we’ve made the decision that at five, if the president hasn’t talked to us, we’re going to figure it out,” SJP member Mikayla Mesko said. “Then, we’re going to discuss it as a group and see where we go from there.”
According to SJP leader Salem Khoury, the goal for the sit-in was to declare the demands and to be “addressed on a formal level” because “enough is enough.”
“It’s been six months. We’ve been trying to get the president’s attention,” SJP member Mikayla Mesko said. “He’s been very uncooperative, and we felt we want[ed] to get his attention, and the way to do it is to come to his place of work and tell him we mean business, and we’re gonna stay here until he listens to us and answers our demands.”
Within three hours of the sit-in, the members inside met with UO administration during the rally. Various sources at the rally said SJP would release the meeting information to the public at a later date.
