Palestinian students: 'We're just asking for Purdue to offer some support'

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Over a hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through Purdue University Friday hoping to bring attention to the bombardment of Gaza by Israel, the United States’ role in supporting the Israel-Hamas war and Purdue’s perceived lack of support towards Palestinian students.

This demonstration was the second march hosted by Students for Justice in Palestine at Purdue and Purdue Young Democratic Socialists of America, coming a week after the first march.

But within that week, the demonstrators' reasoning for marching changed significantly, organizers said, initially calling for the freedom of Palestine and her people, to calling for the end of Israel’s blockade of and airstrikes into Gaza.

“Last time the situation was horrible, this time the situation is detrimental,” Johnny, president of the Students for Justice in Palestine Purdue chapter, said.

“Today’s march is to demand action from Purdue to stop this genocide. To ask for the people to notice us, to call their representatives, to act up, to do something because this can’t happen.”

Johnny requested the newspaper not to use his full name due to safety concerns after receiving several threats in the past few weeks, he said.

“Purdue is still funding the genocide, the U.S. is still funding the genocide, and the entire country’s taxpayers are funding the genocide.”

Since Oct. 7, the death total in the Gaza Strip has reached up to 4,127, 1,661 of whom were children, according to a spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Around 1,400 people were killed in Israel, most of whom were civilians slain during Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7.

For many of the demonstrators, the goal of the march was to showcase people's desire for peace in the Middle East and for a ceasefire to occur. However, the Palestinian students were also hoping that these demonstrations would finally force Purdue to recognize the pain many of their Palestinian students are dealing with during these times.

“We're just asking for Purdue to offer some support to those (Palestinian) students. It is crazy that after everything that has happened, we’re still being labeled as terrorists, labeled as antisemitic, we’re still hearing all of this stuff. When at the end of the day all we want is peace. We want a home to live in,” Johnny said.

Hours before the march, Johnny was informed that two of his cousins had died in the bombing of Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City where they were taking shelter for safety.

Johnny explained that his cousins were the first family members who have died due to the war, but he was lucky in comparison to some of the other Palestinian students. According to Johnny, one student had lost five family members, and another had lost 10.

“A lot of people at Purdue are very supportive, but the Purdue administration has not yet offered support to their (Palestinian) students. President Mung offered to go speak in the Hilel to students, rightfully so,. They deserved to be talked to, but why have we not?” he said.

“Why have students of the Southwest Asian and North African communities not been offered for President Mung to give a speech to us? To offer them some peace of mind that Purdue is here and sees us. Why am I afraid to go ask my professor for an exemption on the exam.

“A lot of people at Purdue faculty have offered us support, but as Purdue the administration we have not seen that support and it is very sad to see.”

Noe Padilla is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email him at Npadilla@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter at 1NoePadilla.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Pro-Palestinian march calls for peace and for Purdue's support