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KYLE GARCIA TAKATA | SENIOR STAFF<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THE DAILY CALIFORNIAN NEWS STAFF<\/a> | STAFF<\/p>\n\n\n\n OCTOBER 17, 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following a week of escalation in the latest Israel-Hamas war, with increasing airstrikes in the Gaza region and the mass evacuation of Palestinians, hundreds of students and community members gathered peacefully in front of Sather Gate at noon Monday calling for a free Palestine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Protestors, many masked and dressed in colors of the Palestinian flag, rallied around speakers and blockaded Sather Gate. The three-hour protest alternated between speeches and chants such as \u201cfrom the river to the sea, Palestine will be free\u201d and \u201cresistance is justified when people are occupied.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Around 30 counter-protestors were also present, silently holding Israeli flags and signs with messages of solidarity with Israel. The counter-protesters were separated from the larger group by Allied Universal security personnel, who monitored the protest for safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Safety concerns<\/a> have been widespread for both communities throughout the past week, following doxxing, online harassment and altercations during a demonstration<\/a> Oct. 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The protest drew groups from across the campus community \u2014 the League of Filipino Students, Afghan students and Jewish students in support of Palestine expressed solidarity with the community through various signs and speeches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers engaged the group for the larger part of the three hours. They criticized the presentation of the Israel-Hamas war in mainstream media and drew distinctions between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. The protest\u2019s purpose was not to promote violence and terrorism, they noted, but to continue fighting for a liberated Palestine and against the \u201cthreat of genocide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speakers also rejected statements sent by campus and the University of California over the past week, noting opposition to the \u201cpolitical language\u201d of the statements, and demanded representation of Palestinians at the campus administrative level, requesting that the chancellor publicly recognize the Palestinian community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In response to the Israel-Hamas war, escalation of student activism and safety concerns on campus, campus faculty also signed a statement Monday condemning the violence and offering sympathy \u201cto Israelis and to Jews worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The statement has been signed by more than 250 faculty from various fields as of press time and recirculated by Berkeley Hillel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is possible simultaneously to condemn unequivocally what occurred this weekend for the barbarism it was and to advocate for justice for Palestinians,\u201d the faculty statement reads. \u201cWe mourn all loss of life and security in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and we pray for a swift resolution to the current violence and return of the hostages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Toward the end of the afternoon, supporters for Israel gathered in a smaller circle apart from the larger crowd, singing the Israeli national anthem and chanting \u201cthe nation of Israel lives.\u201d They also lined up photos of civilians in Israel who were kidnapped over the past week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At 3 p.m., protestors marched to Doe Library, where the protest concluded with a moment of silence for lost Palestinian lives and a call for the community to advocate for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe live in a world that is fueled by the politicization of the lives of innocent Palestinians that are lost,\u201d a speaker said. \u201cRemember that Palestinians have a right to exist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ananya Rupanagunta, Chanyoung Chung and Sandhya Ganesan contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact The Daily Californian News Staff at newsdesk@dailycal.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n LAST UPDATED<\/p>\n\n\n\n OCTOBER 18, 2023<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" KYLE GARCIA TAKATA | SENIOR STAFF THE DAILY CALIFORNIAN NEWS STAFF | STAFF OCTOBER 17, 2023 Following a week of escalation in the latest Israel-Hamas war, with increasing airstrikes in the Gaza region and the mass evacuation of Palestinians, hundreds of students and community members gathered peacefully in front of… Continue reading ![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/dailycal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/protest_Kyle-Garcia-Takata_ss-1.jpg\")
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