Why a message of peace was lost at Pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses | Opinion

It’s 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 1, and the Sacramento State campus is bustling with activity — some students are making a beeline for classes, others grab a quick bite at the Student Union.

In the crowd of students, it’s easy to spot those who are rallying on behalf of the pro-Palestine movement: They pull wagons filled with food and carry pillows and bedding, making their way to an encampment set up on the quad in front of the library.

Their tents are adorned with signs saying “Free Palestine” and “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free,” catching the attention of passing students who pause to snap pictures of the scene.

Opinion

It’s been more than a week since demonstrators initiated their presence on the Sac State campus in response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.

The university granted permission for the encampment to remain until at least May 8, as long as the protest maintains a peaceful nature. Like students at other campuses across the nation, the students at Sacramento State are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza., where an estimated 34,000 Palestinians have died, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health. These figures include combatants and civilians.

But some protesters - in Sacramento and elsewhere - are not solely advocating for a ceasefire.

Some are calling for the dismantling of Israel and America’s longstanding alliance. Some have chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which is labeled as an antisemitic slogan by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as it is a rallying cry also used by terrorist organizations like Hamas that “seek Israel’s destruction through violent means.”

“Globalize the Intifada” is another chant deployed during campus protests. According to the ADL, the “slogan is generally understood as a call for indiscriminate violence against Israel, and potentially against Jews and Jewish institutions worldwide.”

Using these controversial slogans or carrying signs emblazoned with them contradicts the essence of peaceful, nonviolent protest. The protests began as a call for Americans to see the violence that has taken over Israel and Gaza, but it seems that the politics of the war have come to our country. We are seeing demonstrations that seem more driven by taking sides between Palestinians and Israelis than seeking peace. At UCLA, for example, students were blocked by pro-Palestinian protesters from attending class before pro-Israel counter-protesters struck back violently.

More than 300 protesters in New York were arrested at Columbia University and City College as law enforcement disbanded encampments and occupied administrative buildings. Students at Cal Poly Humboldt occupied buildings and trashed them, as did students on other campuses.

The fear incited on these campuses deviates from the principles of nonviolent protest, a practice popularized during the Civil Rights movement which has since evolved. So far this movement does not appear to have learned this important lesson of history.

Nonviolence is empowerment

When Civil Rights Icons Rev. Dr. James Lawson, Rev. John Lewis and other Freedom Riders traversed the southern United States in the 1960s to protest segregation, they envisioned change. Their simple act of sitting at whites-only diners and requesting service elicited violence from those who refused to acknowledge their equality.

After studying mid-20th Century nonviolent resistance in India, Lawson trained Civil Rights activists in methods inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.

Nonviolence is described as the “science of creating a world founded on justice, truth, and compassion — a reflection of divine principles.” I believe that nonviolent protest serves as a mirror, revealing the injustices of society, as demonstrated by these Civil Rights leaders.

The current pro-Palestinian movement aims to expose unjust practices by Israel. However, recent protests have shifted focus away from this goal.

When violence erupts during lengthy clashes on college campuses, with both sides engaging aggressively the intended message fails to resonate. The messaging that has been surfacing has been one of violence.

The New York Times reported that Columbia University officials are now seeking disciplinary action against a student leader of the pro-Palestinian movement after a video filmed in January resurfaced where the student said “Zionists don’t deserve to live.”

A TikTok video went viral of Jessica Schwalb, a Jewish Columbia University student, describing when she and her friends were surrounded by pro-Palestinian protesters. Schwalb said the moment felt like it was out of a “dystopian novel.”

“This sort of activity needs to stop,” Schwalb said. “It’s discriminatory and everyone should have equal access to all of the campus resources.”

Polarization over this conflict threatens to irreparably divide us.

Nonviolent protest remains the most effective means of expressing our values and beliefs, and we must remember how to convey our message effectively. Nonviolence encompasses actions that capture attention while highlighting the fallacy of violence. Yet, what we witness on college campuses are retaliatory acts of violence from both sides, a path that blinds us all.

During the George Floyd protests in 2020, I saw the National Guard, in riot gear, put down their shields and weapons and join protesters in prayer. That is what peaceful protest is about. It’s about showing that there is another way other than violence.

By transcending violence, we honor the legacy of those who came before us and pave the way for a more just and compassionate society.