Hundreds of students march for Palestine on first day of the Democratic National Convention

Chicago, IL – On August 19, hundreds of students from across the country traveled to Chicago to march on the Democratic National Convention. Wrapped in khaffiyehs, holding banners, signs and Palestine flags, they gathered as early as 8 a.m. at Union Park for the noon rally and march.

At 10 a.m., protesters of the student contingent stood at the pre-march press conference.

Victoria Hinckley of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, said, “Come fall, we’re hitting the ground running, ready to defend student protests for Palestine and demanding divestment. We refuse to let our universities get away with funding a genocide and punishing students for standing against this genocide.”

Earlier this year, Hinckley became the first student in Students for a Democratic Society to be expelled for her involvement in the encampments for Gaza movement in Spring 2024. Since June, she has ever since been campaigning for the reversal of her expulsion and for the end of international student Joseph Charry’s suspension, which puts his visa at risk.

Then at noon, the rally began in earnest. Representatives from various organizations, including student organizations, came onto the stage.

“Guess what? The student intifada lives on!” stated a leader of National Students for Justice in Palestine to thunderous applause. “We are returning stronger than ever before as we head into the fall semester! And as long as our administrations continue profiting off the genocide of our people, of Palestinians, we will continue to confront them, just as we are confronting the complicit Democratic Party today.”

“On our campuses, we see the administration cut student services, put admin greed over student needs, and are always there ready to increase tuition,” Khalid Hamu said, on behalf of National Students for a Democratic Society. “Admin squeezes all the money they can from us and invests it in the genocide of the Palestinian people. Admin arrests, suspends and expels students for doing what’s right and for standing with Palestine. Our detriment as students leads to the detriment of the Palestinian people, and by isolating any administrators who stand with genocide, we can do something real for the people of Palestine.”

Students then marched with over 20,000 protesters to gather across the venue hosting the Democratic National Convention, the United Center. Within sight and sound of the delegates to the DNC, several of whom were delayed as the commotion held up the arrival of several buses, the protesters chanted for a free Palestine and for the Democrats to end their backing of the genocide in Gaza.

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