The ongoing atrocities in Gaza have ignited global outrage, sparking an unprecedented wave of solidarity protests across the world. Millions of people have taken to the streets, issued public statements, and rallied against the recent Israeli aggression as well as the long-standing oppression endured by Palestinians under occupation.
The student movement, reminiscent of historical protests against injustices like the Vietnam War, has emerged as a powerful force for change. At Columbia University, over 120 student organizations and faculty members organized a peaceful sit-in, supported by diverse students of various backgrounds, including "Students for Justice in Palestine" and "Jewish Voice for Peace."
Their demands reflect a call for justice and accountability, which includes ending the genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, cutting ties with entities supporting Israeli aggression, and promoting freedom of expression–pushing back against longstanding dehumanization of Palestinian Arabs and other majority-Muslim peoples in Western media.
The response from university administrations has been anything but encouraging, however. Columbia's president Minouche Shafik deemed the encampment a threat and, in a heavy-handed move, ordered police intervention for its dismantling. Similar crackdowns occurred at Harvard, MIT, and other campuses across the United States, with administrations resorting to punitive measures to suppress student voices.
Despite these challenges, the solidarity movement continues to gain momentum. At Brown University, students secured a commitment to vote on divestment from Israel, showcasing the impact of sustained activism. Internationally, from Germany to Australia, students are uniting to condemn the atrocities in Gaza and challenge international complicity.
The resolve of these students underscores the importance of solidarity in the face of injustice. Their actions not only amplify the plight of Palestinians but also compel institutions to reckon with their own ethical responsibilities. As the protests persist, they serve as a powerful reminder that collective action can drive meaningful change.
The student protests have also illuminated the lengths European governments will go to suppress pro-Palestinian voices. Authorities across Europe have resorted to draconian measures to stifle solidarity with Palestine, leveraging false and unwarranted accusations of terrorism and antisemitism to justify their actions.
Germany, France, and Austria have not only banned protests but also unleashed a campaign of police violence and intimidation against demonstrators. Hundreds of individuals in Berlin were arrested, with schools even being enlisted to enforce prohibitions on Palestinian symbols and slogans being publicly displayed. Instances of job termination and discrimination against those expressing solidarity with Palestine have become alarmingly common–this reflects a broader trend of punitive measures justified by racist rhetoric.
The rise of far-right extremist parties in Europe has exacerbated these tensions, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and targeting marginalized communities, particularly those of Islamic backgrounds. Protestors in the United Kingdom have been unjustly arrested under terrorism laws, with legitimate expressions of solidarity deemed as "hate marches" by government officials–such statements by then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman resulted in her being fired from then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s cabinet.
There are even concerning moves to broaden the definition of "non-violent extremism" to encompass peaceful movements which advocate for the closure of arms factories in the UK that manufacture and supply weapons to Israel.
Such repression not only undermines the fundamental right to protest but also threatens the democratic fabric of society. By conflating legitimate criticism with extremism, governments are eroding civil liberties and perpetuating injustice. As these challenges persist, it is imperative to stand in solidarity with those fighting for freedom and equality, in Palestine and around the world.
In the European Union, a minimum of 12 countries have resorted to what the European Civil Forum (ECF) in Brussels deems "disproportionate measures," including the prohibition of demonstrations due to alleged threats to public safety and security.
From October 2022 to October 2023, the European Legal Support Center (ELSC) in the Netherlands catalogued 310 instances of "repressive acts" against pro-Palestinian demonstrations or individuals. Since October 7th, this figure has more than doubled to 836, highlighting that these numbers likely represent only a fraction of actual occurrences.This situation should be viewed within the broader context of a longstanding infrastructure designed to suppress solidarity with Palestine, which includes legislation and rhetoric equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism. In times like these, all available methods of repression can be deployed simultaneously, underscoring the entrenched nature of these mechanisms over the years.
This is a war on Palestinian identity and European governments are finally saying out loud what Palestinians have known for decades–that no version of themselves, non-violent or otherwise, will ever be acceptable enough for them to be seen as human beings deserving of life and dignity by the West. Conversely, there is no crime barbaric or mindless enough for Western governments to even consider for a split second whether their relationship with Israel needs reconsideration.
The stigma is and always has been around Palestinian existence, not Palestinian resistance.
Given the shared trauma experienced by Syrians and Palestinians, it is unsurprising that so many Syrians are actively participating in global demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine. For Syrians, witnessing the devastation in Gaza triggers painful memories of similar destruction in Homs, Aleppo, and Eastern Ghouta, all while the world largely remained silent. Numerous cities have endured prolonged bombing and siege throughout the Syrian war, including the Yarmouk camp in Damascus, a Palestinian refugee camp that endured two years of prolonged bombing and siege by the Assad regime.
On October 7th, Israel launched its war on Gaza and imposed a siege on Palestinian territories in response to Hamas' attack on military sites and residential areas on the same day. Since then, the Israeli military has killed more than 38,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including at least 13,000 children according to the Palestine Ministry of Health.
We must not advocate for a Free Syria from Bashar al-Assad while turning a blind eye to injustices elsewhere. The struggles for national liberation and political self-determination are inherently interconnected.
These shared sentiments compel Syrians in Europe to stand in solidarity with Palestinians, despite facing significant repression of protests. Inside Syria, hundreds of people have also taken to the streets in the north and south of the country to express support for Gaza.
Transitioning to the current student movement, the history of student activism attests to the youth's capacity to effect change. This movement plays a pivotal role in raising global awareness of the systematic genocide in Gaza, emphasising the urgent need for a permanent political solution to end apartheid and racial segregation and halt the ongoing genocide against Palestinians since the Nakba.
Despite facing challenges like media defamation and baseless accusations of antisemitism, student groups advocating for Palestine persist in their pursuit of justice and humanity, epitomizing the values they uphold and reinforcing universities as platforms for freedom and social change.
Student activism has historically been a driving force in social and political movements worldwide, rooted in principles of freedom, justice, and equality. From the Civil Rights Movement in the United States to the student protests in France in 1968, and the Arab revolutions in the twenty-first century, student-led demands have consistently centered on notions of freedom and human dignity.Negative perceptions of Israel and its actions among the public, and not just students, are the highest they have ever been. And yet, Western governments continue to debase themselves by carrying water, unnecessarily, for a supposed ally whose actions damage their image and reputation by association. One can only wonder when the first historic ally of the settler-colonial ethnostate will acknowledge that this one-sided relationship may need some reconsideration.
As someone who experienced the Arab Spring and actively participated in the Syrian revolution aimed at freedom and justice, I wholeheartedly support this movement, echoing the call: "Students of the world, unite!"
