Anti-Israel sit-in occurs during Shabbat dinner at Northeastern
On Dec. 1, the anti-Israel student group, Huskies for a Free Palestine, staged an eight-hour sit-in on the fourth floor of the Curry Student Center.
Northeastern alum Benjamin Ebner authored a letter to president Joseph Auon, later signed by over 350 students and alumni, condemning the anti-Semitic display and calling for action.
On Dec. 1, Huskies for a Free Palestine, an anti-Israel student group at Northeastern University, staged an eight-hour sit-in on the fourth floor of the Curry Student Center in Boston.
The students demanded divestment from the Jewish state and tried to pressure the university’s research partnerships to end ties with companies connected to Israel’s military. The protest reportedly drew over 100 participants and lasted from noon to 8 p.m.
That evening, Northeastern Chabad, a Jewish student group, held a pre-planned Shabbat dinner in the same building, just a few levels above the protest. Attendees reportedly had to navigate through the pro-Palestine demonstration to reach the dinner.
According to the student-run Huntington News, a pro-Palestine protester declared, “We are here today for a sit-in to honor and to sit in solidarity with Palestinian people who are experiencing genocide in Gaza.” Other demonstrators held posters calling to “globalize the Intifada.”
Attendees at the rally reportedly chanted phrases like “Aoun, it’s time to take a stand, Gaza’s blood is on your hands,” referring to Joseph E. Aoun, the president of Northeastern. They also allegedly said, “No more missiles, no more bombs, NEU whose side are you on?”
On Dec. 7, Northeastern alumnus Benjamin Ebner authored a letter to president Auon, later signed by over 350 students and alumni, condemning the anti-Semitic display and calling for action.
“The language used by the protesting group implies direct harm and calls for the extermination of the Jewish people worldwide,” the document states. “This is deeply offensive to Jewish students, including those attending the Shabbat dinner, and falls within the realm of anti-Semitism.”
[RELATED: Student protesters stage anti-Israel sit-in on first night of Hanukkah]
In response to the protest and the Jewish student and alumni response letter, the university administration announced disciplinary actions against several members of Huskies for a Free Palestine on Dec. 11, citing violations to the Student Code of Conduct, including hosting an unauthorized event on campus.
Potential consequences for students violating university policies range from loss of privileges and probation to suspension or expulsion, with the outcomes of individual disciplinary proceedings kept confidential due to privacy concerns.
Campus Reform has contacted Northeastern University, Huskies for a Free Palestine, and Northeastern Chabad for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
