Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by the New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

While standing in solidarity with Palestine, the student movement has once again escalated protests on campus with the campus encampment movement. Students are calling out their universities and its administrators for their decades’ long support of Israel’s genocide of Palestinians and are demanding that our universities divest and cut all ties to Israel! University administrators have no right to ignore the students as university administrators continue to support the genocide in Gaza and maintain support for Israel.

Chicago IL – On April 17, over 70 students rallied and marched at the University of Illinois at Chicago to oppose U.S. war moves against Iran. The action was part of a National Day of Action called by Students for a Democratic Society.

Tampa, FL- Over 20 students at the University of South Florida marched April 18 to demand no U.S. attacks on Iran and an end to U.S. aid to Israel.

Tampa Bay SDS organized this protest and march as part of a National Day of Action called by National SDS in response to the April 1 Israeli bombing of the Iranian diplomatic mission in Damascus, Syria. Students marched from the library to the student center to show their support for Palestine and for the solidarity that Iran has shown towards Palestine.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from University of Central Florida Students for a Democratic Society.

On April 1 , UCF Students for a Democratic Society was informed that the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity was moving forward with charging one of its members with several violations of student conduct in addition to filing legal charges for criminal mischief, in response to pro-Palestine activism.

Minneapolis, MN – On April 20, on a brisk spring afternoon, over 350 pro-Palestine demonstrators rallied at Bryant Square Park in the Minneapolis Uptown neighborhood for the first large scale march initiated by the Minnesota chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine and the Arab Student Association at the U of MN.

Tacoma, WA – On April 14, in Tollefson Plaza, approximately 30 protesters gathered in Tacoma to demand “U.S hands off Iran” at a rally called for by several Students for a Democratic Society chapters (SDS).

Minneapolis, MN – On Wednesday, April 17, dozens of students and community members gathered on the University of Minnesota campus to rally against war with Iran. On Saturday, April 13, Iran launched a series of attacks on Israel in retaliation for the recent Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria.

On April 17, The bi-partisan House Education Committee held a congressional hearing focused on Columbia University’s response to alleged antisemitism on campus. This hearing is part of a larger investigation into universities in the wake of widespread pro-Palestinian protests nationwide.

Denver, CO – On April 11, members of Denver Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied and held several disruptions outside the University of Colorado Denver board of regents meeting to further Denver SDS’s demands for the University of Colorado to divest from companies tied with Israel.

Tallahassee, FL – On Friday, April 12, students at Florida State University joined Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society to demand that the university divest from apartheid Israel, including ending its partnership with infamous weapons manufacturer Boeing, which arms the Israeli occupation.

Chicago IL – On April 3, nearly 70 students rallied at the University of Illinois at Chicago to demand the university do more to support its diverse student body. This included increased funding to cultural centers, ethnic studies programs, diversity programs, increased Black enrollment and retention, and hiring more Black and Latino faculty. Despite freezing wind and rain the students marched and rallied for over an hour, chanting “We’re cold, we’re tired, we don’t like the admin!”

Tampa, FL – On April 1, about 15 students from the University of South Florida and community members marched in support of diversity and in opposition to cutbacks.

Baton Rouge, LA – On Monday April 1, Louisiana State University students celebrated Trans Day of Visibility at the campus’s Parade Grounds to resist Louisiana's transphobic legislation, as well as an anti-trans administrative policy.

Minneapolis, MN – On March 29, the Divest UMN Coalition at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities mobilized more than 50 students to celebrate a historic victory in the movement for divestment in apartheid Israel by the university.

Tampa, FL – On March 29, around 20 students gathered in front of the University of South Florida library to participate in a vigil held by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) to celebrate the life of, and demand justice for, Nex Benedict.

Tacoma, WA – On March 20, about 50 people gathered in Tollefson Plaza for a protest in solidarity with Rafah organized by School Of The Arts Students For A Democratic Society (SOTA SDS). Through this action, the protesters stood in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance and demanded an end of U.S. aid to Israel.

Tampa, FL- On Tuesday March 19, about 15 students met at the Marshall Student Center at the University of South Florida to rally in defense of diversity on their campus.

This protest was organized by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society SDS), an active force on the campus around protecting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Student protesters shouted, “DEI is welcome here” and that the university president Rhea Law, is “no good.”

Milwaukee, WI – On March 14, protesters rallied in front of Chancellor Mark Mone’s mansion demanding UW-Milwaukee cut ties with Israel. Despite the constant rain and cops tailing the caravan headed to the mansion, the protesters remained steadfast in their commitment to the campaign to cut ties with genocide.

New Orleans – On March 16, 13 courageous members of Tulane Students for a Democratic Society carried out a die-in on campus to protest the school’s partnership with Israel. The demonstrators occupied the school’s central building during the nationally attended and Tulane-hosted New Orleans Bookfest. The festival is hosted by the university once a year and brings in thousands of attendees to watch panels and talks by well-known authors and public figures.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following March 14 statement from Tulane Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

Official Statement on Battery of Tulane Student by Professor Walter Isaacson

On March 13th, a Tulane student and member of Students for a Democratic Society, Rory Macdonald, was assaulted by Walter Isaacson, a Tulane professor and board member. Macdonald was protesting a Tulane-sponsored New Orleans Entrepreneurship Week panel titled “Energy Innovation at Scale” featuring Louisiana State University, ExxonMobil, and Halliburton. Isaacson, an audience member, grabbed Rory and cursed at them, battering them and leaving them with bruises on their arm and scratches on their back. The encounter was captured in multiple videos. Tulane has done nothing to protect Arab students and members of SDS from repeated harassment and threats from Zionist students, and now one of our members has been assaulted by a member of the faculty.