Pro Palestinian protesters march peacefully across the campus of Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Approximatiely 100 protesters took part in the rally and march. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Cal State San Bernardino students have added their voices to those in Southern California and across the country calling for the liberation of Palestinians as war in Gaza approaches its seventh month.
Marching to a demonstration outside the campus library shortly before noon Thursday, May 2, students criticized Israel with chants and signs demanding a cease fire in Gaza, where health officials estimate 34,000 Palestinians have been killed since fall as a result of the Israel-Hamas war.
“It’s just so sad what’s going on,” said CSUSB senior and protester Daylene Medina. “Literally the whole world is watching like it’s not even happening. It’s crazy.”
Two CSUSB students protesting in solidarity, Alana Gutierrez and Melissa Castro, both in their sophomore year, said they had been disappointed in the California State University system, as well as other schools across the nation.
“I feel like our administration has kind of let us down,” said Castro. “I think our university has to be responsible for even just upholding our right to speak out, and a lot of schools have not been doing that.”
Students for Justice in Palestine at Cal State San Bernardino march in protest on Thursday, May 2, 2024, to demand the university divest from all ties with Israel. The protest comes amid rising unrest on university campuses in California and nationwide as students make demands on administrations to call for a cease fire in Gaza. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Students for Justice in Palestine at Cal State San Bernardino begin a protest on Thursday, May 2, 2024, to demand the university divest from all ties with Israel. The protest comes amid rising unrest on university campuses in California and nationwide as students make demands on administrations to call for a cease fire in Gaza. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters march peacefully across the campus of Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Approximatiely 100 protesters took part in the rally and march. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A student in Cal State San Bernardino student union building takes a break from playing pool as he watches Pro Palestinian protesters march peacefully across the campus on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters march peacefully across the campus of Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters listen to speakers outside the Cal State San Bernardino library prior to marching peacefully across the campus on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters listen to speakers outside the Cal State San Bernardino library prior to marching peacefully across the campus on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters march peacefully across the campus of Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Approximatiely 100 protesters took part in the rally and march. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters listen to speakers outside the Cal State San Bernardino library prior to marching peacefully across the campus on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters listen to speakers outside the Cal State San Bernardino library prior to marching peacefully across the campus on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters listen to speakers outside the Cal State San Bernardino library prior to marching peacefully across the campus on Thursday, May 2, 2024.(Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters march peacefully across the campus of Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters march peacefully across the campus of Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A Cal State San Bernardino police officer watches as Pro Palestinian protesters march peacefully across campus on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protester and Cal State San Bernardino professor Ahlam Muhtaseb speaks to supporters following their peaceful march across the campus on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Approximatiely 100 protesters took part in the rally and march. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters march peacefully across the campus of Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters listen to speakers outside the Cal State San Bernardino library prior to marching peacefully across the campus on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Pro Palestinian protesters march peacefully across the campus of Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Approximatiely 100 protesters took part in the rally and march. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
“I’m in solidarity with Gaza, and again as mentioned, the schooling,” Gutierrez added. “We’re just being let down constantly by our own schools and our own government.”
Organized by CSUSB’s chapter of Students for Justice In Palestine, protesters also called on the university to stop doing business with Israel or any companies that support its ongoing war in Gaza.
“CSU, shame on you, you have blood on your hands too,” the students chanted.
The gathering of about 100 students, faculty and visitors to campus stood in stark contrast to dramatic scenes this week at some larger campuses, including , where a weeklong demonstration in support of Palestinians ended early Thursday morning after police dismantled the encampment and detained more than 100 protesters two days after .
Students who run the CSUSB SJP chapter’s Instagram account said via message they were not expecting counter-protesters Thursday.
Campus safety continues to be a top priority, said Robert Tenczar, associate vice president of CSUSB Office of Strategic Communication, and the University Police Department had not been made aware of any safety concerns surrounding the Thursday protest.
UPD has been in communication with, and in support of, our students’ voice and Constitutional rights, Tenczar said.
Elsewhere in the Inland Empire, on Thursday entered the fourth day of what’s been a peaceful encampment outside the Bell Tower area on campus.
The Gaza Solidarity Encampment there began Monday with tents, signage and sidewalk chalk, led by UCR’s chapter of Students for Justice In Palestine. Both demonstrators and university administration were optimistic following a meeting between the two groups Wednesday, which took place before a planned midday walkout which drew several hundred participants.
A Thursday morning Instagram post indicated that the sit-in’s activities are continuing.
Students at Pitzer College in Claremont have spent seven days on the commencement lawn in support of Palestine and in solidarity with what’s happening on campuses across the country. Tents lined the grassy space.
A rally was held Thursday afternoon outside nearby McConnel Center, which houses a dining hall, human resources department, and a meeting space. “We will be back. We will not stop. We will not rest!” chants came from students, just before they dispersed around 4:30 p.m. for a community dinner break.
A rally outside the McConnel Center in support of Palestine was held at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
An encampment in solidarity with other college campuses across the nation and in support of Palestine enters its seventh day occupying the commencement lawn at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
A rally outside the McConnel Center in support of Palestine was held at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
An encampment in solidarity with other college campuses across the nation and in support of Palestine enters its seventh day occupying the commencement lawn at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
An encampment in solidarity with other college campuses across the nation and in support of Palestine enters its seventh day occupying the commencement lawn at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
An encampment in solidarity with other college campuses across the nation and in support of Palestine enters its seventh day occupying the commencement lawn at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
An encampment in solidarity with other college campuses across the nation and in support of Palestine enters its seventh day occupying the commencement lawn at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
An encampment in solidarity with other college campuses across the nation and in support of Palestine enters its seventh day occupying the commencement lawn at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
An encampment in solidarity with other college campuses across the nation and in support of Palestine enters its seventh day occupying the commencement lawn at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
An encampment in solidarity with other college campuses across the nation and in support of Palestine enters its seventh day occupying the commencement lawn at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
An encampment in solidarity with other college campuses across the nation and in support of Palestine enters its seventh day occupying the commencement lawn at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
An encampment in solidarity with other college campuses across the nation and in support of Palestine enters its seventh day occupying the commencement lawn at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Mercedes Cannon-Tran./SCNG)
This week’s protests are part of a nationwide student movement that began in early April with a sit-in at Pomona College in Claremont. There after storming an administrative office, in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas-led raid into southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages.
Since mid-April, following the start of a protest at Columbia University in New York, campus demonstrations have grown, reminiscent of the images of police crackdowns decades ago amid protests against the Vietnam War.
Law enforcement has arrested more than 1,000 people.
President Joe Biden on Thursday defended the right to protest but insisted that “order must prevail” as college campuses across the country face unrest over the war in Gaza.
“Dissent is essential for democracy,” he said at the White House. “But dissent must never lead to disorder.”
Staff writers Mercedes Cannon-Tran, Clara Harter, Sarah Hofmann, Beau Yarbrough, and the Associated Press and City ɫ̳ Service contributed to this report.
