The chants of San Diego City College students calling for peace in Gaza were heard across campus, Oct. 25.
“When Palestine is under attack, what do you do?” prompted demonstration leaders through a bullhorn.
“Stand up, fight back,” chanted the crowd.
The rally, which hosted passionate speakers and a vocal crowd, was a call for an immediate ceasefire in the U.S.-backed bombardment of Gaza, according to an event flyer.
With the recent surge in violence continuing to escalate amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, between 100-150 students and faculty gathered in the quad connecting City’s AH and BT buildings as part of a national school walkout in protest of the Israeli attack on Gaza.
Click on the image below to view a photo gallery from the walkout.
Organized by M.E.Ch.A de City College, the gathering attracted participants from various backgrounds, including students, faculty and community members.
The crowd voiced their demands for an end to the genocide of Gazan civilians caught in the assault.
Participants waved Palestinian flags and held up signs and banners displaying messages in support of Palestine.
Read City Times coverage on an emergency teach-in held on campus.
Palestinian student Noor Dibas, an organizer with Visionary Feminists at City College, gave an impassioned speech to the crowd.
“Something very important to note is that peace does not decolonize Palestine,” Dibas said. “When you are talking about the liberation of Palestine, it is disrespectful and downright stupid to only focus on Palestinians’ violence and their retaliation.”
Dibas’ grandparents are Palestinian refugees who moved to Saudi Arabia during the first Nakba in 1948, the initial mass displacement operation by Zionist settlers of Palestinians from their homeland.
“Palestinians are fighting for their right to live in their land,” Dibas said. “Palestinians’ goals are not the destruction of Jewish people.”
Ambarta Noor, a communication studies adjunct professor at City College, also spoke in front of the crowd, emphasizing the urgency of utilizing public speaking spaces to unite against crimes in Gaza.
“I’m obviously against genocide of any form and knowledge is power,” said Noor, who is a Somali-American refugee. “And to be able to have a platform like this is incredible. So why not use it?”
The City College Mental Health Center is offering counseling resources to students, staff affected by the violence.
