On Saturday, May 4, the same day as President Garry Jenkins’ inauguration, students engaged in a silent demonstration to draw support and awareness around Palestinian lives and suffering as a result of the conflict in Gaza.
Students chalked phrases like “Free Palestine,” “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be Free,” “Children in Gaza deserve to be children,” and “Disclose, Divest, Reinvest” on the walkways from Alumni Walk to Merrill gymnasium.
The silent demonstration was organized by Students for Justice for Palestine (SJP), a student organization on campus meant to raise awareness and “support for Palestinian people suffering under Israeli colonialism, apartheid, and military occupation,” according to the organization’s statement posted on their instagram.
The demonstration’s concurrence with Jenkins’ inauguration drew visibility to the club’s cause, reaching the campus community, alumni, friends of Bates College and the wider Maine community.
However, according to Secretary of SJP Poppy Marsh, the club had no intention of stealing Jenkins’ spotlight. “We want him to have his day because…it’s inauguration, he deserves it,” they said.
In addition to drawing attention to the crisis in Gaza and the suffering of Palestinian people, the demonstration was also an invitation to Jenkins and the administration to support and collaborate with SJP.
“We view it as a really great opportunity to extend a hand and be in community with this person who’s going to be leading our school and directing our school for years to come,” Marsh said.
Students enthusiastically participated in chalking during odd hours of the night, and were grateful for the opportunity to have their voices heard.
“It gave me hope to see so many students who care, and who seized this opportunity to share this message with the college, as well as other college representatives and Maine politicians and inauguration guests,” an anonymous chalker shared.
By chalking these messages on walkways, they aimed to, “express solidarity with fellow students across the country who are facing harassment and arrests by law enforcement and their administrations while protesting…we [also] wanted to emphasize our strong opposition to the war in Gaza, which has cost thousands of innocent civilians their lives,” the anonymous chalker said.
Though a contentious topic, SJP President Bissan Kablawi and Marsh emphasized the peaceful nature and pure intention of the demonstration and their organization at large.
“It is never ever going to be about hatred, or it’s never going to be about not being in community with people and wanting to work in collaboration with people,” Marsh said.
