Pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protesters clash during walkout
The consensus from both the protesting and onlooking crowd outside the University Library on Tuesday afternoon was that free speech should be upheld and conversation is important. Three separate incidents, however, distracted from the otherwise peaceful protests.
In honor of the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, “a group of Jewish students” at CSUN organized a vigil to be held Tuesday, according to Sophie Sela, an advocate in support of Israel. A coalition of groups in support of Palestine also organized a walkout and demonstration to be held simultaneously outside the University Library.
Despite differing opinions, both groups stated that they intended to honor lives lost as well as educate the student body of CSUN.
Dima Betros, a CSUN student and member of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), explained why the walkout was scheduled on the Oct. 7 anniversary.
“We are doing this because it’s an emphasis that the genocide didn’t just happen after October 7th,” said Betros. “You can’t have freedom without resistance … there was resistance that day, and ever since then, the genocide of Palestine really started.”
In response to the walkout, Israel-supporting students and advocates began to appear, brandishing flags and signs. Sela said she felt offended by the flyer advertising the pro-Palestine walkout due to its phrasing. She said this led her and other supporters to attend the walkout in resistance.
With the pro-Palestine protesters primarily occupying the steps to the library and the pro-Israel supporters taking the other side of the lawn, debates were sprawled throughout the middle walkway.
Sela spoke at length with one CSUN student who was interested in learning more.
“I did have one person who came up and asked me, literally for like 35 minutes, questions about this,” said Sela. “He was very curious and really just wanted to know what was going on. He also went over to the other side, and I really respect that.”
Chris Hart, a CSUN student, spoke to both Israel and Palestine supporters, eager to learn about both sides of the situation. Hart was joined by his friends and fellow students, Mason Maheia, Troy Walker, Jaylen Jones and Timi Onikeku, all of whom said they were surprised by the protests.
“I came out of class, I heard a bunch of screaming, and then I just came over to see what was going on,” said Maheia.
Jones said he had never seen two separate protests occur in the same place, as was unfolding on the Library Lawn. Walker and Onikeku added they were impressed by the conversations and debates they overheard, including Hart and Sela’s.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn,” Onikeku said. “I like how it’s an opportunity for you to grow as a person; grow intellectually. I’m seeing intellectual conversations everywhere. We were over on that side, and they’re preaching their own stuff, then we come over to this side to see what Israel’s got going on.”
Stumbling upon the protest from both sides felt peaceful, according to Walker, and provided an opportunity for voices to be heard.
“I support free speech and trying to do things to make the world a better place,” said Walker. “I don’t mind being here. I don’t mind voicing my opinion.”
While most of the demonstration highlighted the protesters’ ability to remain peaceful, there were altercations within the first hour of the demonstration.
At approximately 12:40 p.m., a few protesters from both sides began shouting at each other on the steps of the University Library.
CSUN student Maude Reyes claimed to have heard a man on the side of Israel directing racially motivated hate speech towards several women holding the flag of Mexico in solidarity with Palestine. Reyes said she “lost her temper” in response to the man’s politically charged comments, at which point she climbed the steps to defend the woman.
“I certainly think everyone has the right to free speech, but at the same time, there’s a difference when it comes to hate speech,” Reyes said.
Being a recent transfer to CSUN from San Francisco State University (SF State), Reyes highlighted the difference between the two campuses. She said, unlike her previous experience at SF State, CSUN was impressively able to have both groups remain peaceful in a confined area, despite the brief negative interaction.
Around 1:40 p.m., another altercation occurred when a woman holding multiple flags in support of Israel had one taken from her. The student who took the flag later returned in an attempt to grab another, resulting in a tug of war between the two differing protesters. Both women fell on the ground, and the woman alleged that she would press charges against the student who had taken the flag.
Towards the end of the demonstration, a third altercation occurred where multiple people reported having witnessed a woman spit on a man. It is unclear what preceded this or either of their alignments.
A student under the alias M.C. volunteered for the event as a member of the Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter at CSUN. He said it was important for students’ First Amendment rights to be exercised on campus freely.
“Some instances happened today,” said M.C. “These were not people that were directly affiliated with us. We don’t actually know who they were, however, it’s unfortunate that they happened. We don’t want to start conflict, we just want our voices to be heard.”
Sela, despite her opposing views, aired a similar sentiment.
“Of course there’s extremes on both sides … but it’s about speaking about facts and speaking about peace,” she said.
Vice President of Associated Students at CSUN, Alvaro Geminiano Aragon, highlighted the value that protests bring to the student body, regardless of opinion, and emphasized his pride in being a Matador.
“I’m really proud to see students out there,” he said. “I think the most important thing about having these types of events on campus is making sure that as students, we feel like we can bring our voices to these spaces.”
