Students demand U of MN divest from companies aiding Israeli apartheid

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, May 21, Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Minnesota held a protest calling for university divestment from companies funding the Israeli apartheid.

Over 150 students and community members rallied at the Memorial Union, where speakers voiced their anger with the university administration for complicity with the genocide against Palestinians and its giving support to Zionist student groups. Additionally, students condemned the administration’s lack of action following the passage of two separate referendums in campus elections: one in 2018 calling for divestment from companies funding Israel and one in 2021 calling for full disclosure of university investments.

Speaking on the intersection of the call for police accountability on campus and the university’s support of companies that fund both Israel and the Line 3 pipeline, Nadia Shaarawi of Students for a Democratic Society said, “When we say ACAB [all cops are bastards], we mean the police, we mean the UMPD, but we also mean the Israeli Defense Forces.”

Students and community members marched down Washington Avenue proudly waving Palestinian flags to send a message to administration that the student body will not stand by and allow their tuition money to be used to fuel a genocide.

The event was sponsored by over ten other groups including Students for a Democratic Society, American Muslims for Palestine, Jewish Voices for Peace, and the Anti-War Committee.