LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Several University of Louisville students gathered on campus on the first day of the fall 2024 semester to march and show their support for Palestine. 

What You Need To Know

  • Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine held an on-campus march during the first day of the fall 2024 semester 

  • Members marched through campus, and advocates gave speeches 

  • Those who participated in the march said they have several demands for UofL 

  • Jewish advocates said they support students' right to protest but expressed concerns about antisemitism with past demonstrations

The continued conflict between Israel and Hamas has left tens of thousands of people dead, with many more injured and displaced.

Shortly after the war started in October, college students on campuses throughout the U.S. have been holding pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

“I’m here to advocate for the dead Palestinians from my country that have died at the hands of this Zionist company that fuels occupation, fuels apartheid,” said Sid Baker with Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine, a student organization at UofL.

The United Nations announced Aug. 15 that according to Gaza’s health ministry, which is overseen by the government of Hamas, 40,000 Palestinians have died since the beginning of the war.

“We should be enraged; we should be doing more of what we’re doing now," Baker said. "We should be escalating, and universities like the University of Louisville should be doing everything in their power to make sure none of our tuition dollars are fueling this genocide." 

Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine have a few demands: that UofL divest from Israel, the university discloses its endowments and a public meeting is held between the organization and the university’s president Kim Schatzel and the administration.

“As long as they don’t go into bullying and harassment and intimidation and threats of violence, we fully support students’ right to protest,” said Beth Salamon with the Jewish Community Relations Council in response to the Aug. 19 march at UofL.

Protesters walked through campus and some gave speeches. Police and security were nearby throughout the event, which remained peaceful.

During the fall 2023 semester, more than 70% of Jewish college students experienced or witnessed antisemitism on their campus, according to a Hillel and Anti-Defamation League survey.

“Jewish students either on-campus or even in online communities that they’re supposed to be able to participate in have been targeted for the fact that they are Jewish,” Salamon said.

Palestinian students said they've also faced discrimination.

“I’ve experienced people harassing me because I wear my keffiyeh out, which I will never stop wearing, but the discrimination goes beyond just me," Baker said. "It goes to every single Palestinian, every single person who has a connection to their homeland and refuses to subjugate to Israeli occupation." 

Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine plans to continue holding demonstrations until their demands are met.

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