Editor’s note: Because students at other universities had their personal information leaked as a result of their views, City on a Hill Press will not publish speakers’ or interviewees’ names or identifying characteristics.

(Above) A protester walks around the intersection waving a Palestinian flag. The flag originated from the Arab Revolt of 1916. The colors of the flag each represent a different sect of the Islamic faith.

A little past 11 a.m. on Thursday, hundreds of students, faculty, and community members flooded the intersection of High and Bay Street at the base of campus. Some held signs, some held flags, others held each other. 

Side by side and chanting in unison, the crowd spoke one message: Free Palestine. 

On Nov. 9, Students For Justice In Palestine (SJP) organized a walkout in response to the international call to action, Shut it Down for Palestine, which was convened by organizations like the National Students for Justice in Palestine and the International Peoples’ Assembly.

The movement has inspired walk-outs and sit-ins all over the world protesting Israel’s bombing and ground invasion of Gaza, where more than 11,500 people have been killed. According to Reuters, 40 percent of those killed were children.

“As a genocide unfolds before our eyes and as our government funnels our money directly into taking Palestinian lives, we cannot look away,” read the Nov. 8 caption of a post on SJP’s Instagram promoting the demonstration. “No back to normal, NO BUSINESS AS USUAL.” 

Many attendees brought homemade signs and clothes with various messages supporting the Free Palestine movement and the halting of Gaza’s occupation.

Nearly 400 students arrived at the base of campus at the beginning of the protest. Many wore masks to maintain anonymity. Standing side by side, their bodies acted as barriers to vehicles attempting to access the intersection. 

“Your body is physically blocking the university, possibly blocking profit. […] you’re just using your body for what you can,” said a student labor organizer. “Even though it’s geographically displaced, it’s the symbol that matters.”

At 11:51 a.m. that day, UC Santa Cruz sent out a message via SlugSafe notifying the campus community that the main entrance and intersection had been blocked by demonstrators. 

The intersection became a stage for speakers to start chants and make speeches through bullhorns. Organizers led a learn-in called Palestine 101, where they explained the history of Israel’s occupation of Palestine. 

 A memorial sat at the heart of the intersection with countless pieces of paper from the Gaza Ministry of Health listing the names and ages of Palestinians killed. It also featured offerings like flowers, pictures, and food. 

Along with the hundreds of students who walked out, some educators chose to either cancel their classes or hold them at the demonstration, despite the UCSC administration’s warnings of possible repercussions. 

A Nov. 13 email from Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor (CP/EVC) Lori Kletzer to the instructional community cited Regents’ Policy 2301 for instructors and teaching assistants, which prohibits “the cancellation of a class session for the purpose of encouraging students to participate in a protest or rally.” 

The email also included Academic Personnel Manual Section 015, which states that “significant failure to adhere, without legitimate reason, to the rules of the faculty of courses, to meet class, to keep office hours, or to hold examinations as scheduled” is a violation of conduct for instructors. 

One UCSC graduate student at the walk-out spoke to the fear permeating academic spaces and educational institutions all over the country. 

“There’s been a sort of eerie climate of silence around what’s happening and a lot of fear going around in different academic spaces,” said the source. “People are afraid of getting fired for speaking out about being opposition to the genocide in Gaza.”

At times, anger was channeled directly at the UC system, with the crowd chanting, “UCSC, you can’t hide, you’re committing genocide.” 

The chant refers to the UC System’s investment in Blackrock, a multinational investment company and major stakeholder in the global arms manufacturing industry. 

“It’s so disheartening to know that this school that’s supposed to catapult us students into the ‘real world’ is actually destroying the rest of the world,” said a student attending the walk-out. 

In the center of the closed off intersection, a memorial stood with all the names of the Palestinians who have been killed. This was a way for participants to understand people are not just numbers.

Response

On Nov. 13, Chancellor Cynthia Larive sent out a campus-wide email with the subject line “Upholding Community Responsibilities.” Chancellor Larive noted while community members have the right to engage in protest, she denounced the blocking of the main entrance, primarily citing safety and accessibility concerns. 

“Students, faculty or staff who choose to block an entrance or otherwise disrupt normal activity on our campus will be held accountable under applicable policy or law,” the email read. 

The email received widespread scrutiny from campus organizations and student activists, with Students for Justice in Palestine at UCSC responding directly with their statement on Instagram. 

“Our action was safely organized,” read SJP at UCSC’s statement. “We had security slowly take the street and direct traffic, providing space off the street where people uncomfortable with the intersection could gather.” 

In addition to the safety protocols laid out in SJP’s statement, the City of Santa Cruz Police detoured traffic away from the demonstration. The west entrance also remained accessible throughout the entirety of the walk-out, albeit heavily impacted by traffic.

“[UCSC] administration has made no material attempts to support Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students through this time despite flaunting its commitment to diversity and inclusivity, instead condemning students for creating spaces to grieve and rightfully speak out against colonization and active genocide,” the statement also read. 

Above all, SJP’s statement emphasized that Larive’s email would “not work to suppress student and community voices.” Student activists continue to encourage community members to stay informed and advocate for human rights.

“Be aware, use whatever resources you have whether it’s social media, money, or just yourself,” an attendee of Thursday’s walkout said. “Show up in whatever way you can.”