Protestors from both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict gathered at the University of Washington (UW) campus in Seattle on Thursday.
A video shows Jewish students at the campus in tears at the protest.
“They want our people dead, they want us killed,” a student cried, according to footage shared by analyst Natasha Mozgovaya. “Please end it, please.”
#Jewish students at @UW campus witnessing pro-#Palestinian rally break down. “They want us dead, how you are allowing this?” #Hamas #Gaza pic.twitter.com/0eQqCREajZ
— Natasha Mozgovaya (@mozgovaya) October 12, 2023
Demonstrators on the pro-Palestine side can be heard chanting, “There is only one solution — Intifada revolution.”
HAPPENING NOW: Massive pro-Palestine rally happening at the University of Washington’s Red Square. Handful of pro-Israel demonstrators have arrived and now confronting the crowd. They want students to condemn Hamas and call them terrorists. ANTIFA militants are also here. It is… pic.twitter.com/v3UmBLFpsl
— Jonathan Choe Journalist (Seattle) (@choeshow) October 12, 2023
The Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return at the UW campus shared a flyer on their Instagram page about the event taking place, but it has since been deleted. (RELATED: Truck Circles Harvard Campus Revealing Names Of Students Who Signed Pro-Palestine Letter)
I got an idea:@UW students, faculty, & alumni are rallying tomorrow in support of barbarians
Let’s get the names of everyone who attends and organizes this event, post them, and tell their employers they have people who support monsters.
Time to play by their rules pic.twitter.com/uGx1ervE2f
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) October 12, 2023
“Labeling every Palestinian as Hamas and calling every Palestinian a terrorist … This is not helping the cause,” a pro-Palestinian protestor told KIRO Newsradio, according to MyNorthwest. “We’ve been struggling for 75 years and nobody talks about this.”
“This is a disgrace. They are killing women, children, raping our girls. They took our babies into Gaza,” a pro-Israel protester told the outlet. “The fact that people aren’t seeing it for what it is is disgusting.”
Ozi Goldstein, who is Jewish and pro-Palestinian, explained he doesn’t support the actions of Hamas, but instead supports the Palestinian people as a whole, per the outlet.
“Fundamentally, this is an oppressed people rising up against occupation,” he said.
Ana Mari Cauce, the university’s president, issued a statement on Monday regarding the conflict.
“The terror, loss of life and outbreak of war in Israel and Gaza over the weekend, which began with the reprehensible attacks by Hamas, is devastating to all of us, and my heart is with every member of our community who has ties to or loved ones in this deeply troubled region,” Cauce wrote.
“And at a time when we have seen increased acts of antisemitism and anti-Muslim and anti-Arab violence, I want to reiterate that we must not allow our opinions, grief or anger about the conflict to spill over into abusive behavior or harassment of anyone — civility remains a core value of our academic community,” Cauce added.
The Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return issued a response rejecting and condemning the president’s statement in an Instagram post.
“This statement sends the message to all racially oppressed and exploited students and workers in the UW community: that The University of Washington supports Zionist war crimes and is opposed to the Palestinian people’s just demand for an end to over 75 years of ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity, and genocide.”