Editor's note: At the request of the organizers of Student Coalition for Palestinian Liberation, OU Daily prioritized photos and videos that did not include discernible faces for the safety of individuals attending the walkout.
Around 150 OU students walked out of classes Wednesday morning to a slight drizzle of rain, chanting in support of Palestinians amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
Students shouted in unison, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” while holding flags and signs above their heads. The group marched down the South Oval toward the Bizzell Memorial Library, stopping at the clock tower before ending on the steps of Evans Hall.
At 3:56 p.m., the OU Student Coalition for Palestinian Liberation sent a statement about the demonstration to OU Daily, which included additional demands:
The walkout was held by the OU Student Coalition for Palestinian Liberation, a student organization that aims to build solidarity between OU’s community and the Palestinian cause through education and demonstrations.
Students at university campuses across the country held similar walkouts to demand the ceasing of all support for Israeli weapon manufacturing. Similar demonstrations took place at Arizona State University, Ohio State University, University of Florida and University of Colorado Boulder, among other schools.
At about 11:45 p.m. in front of Evans Hall, the students listed demands to both OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. and the U.S. President Joe Biden.
Demands to OU President Harroz
1. Release a statement about the crimes against Palestinians and express solidarity with Palestinian students, faculty and staff.
2. Teach the history of Israel in Palestine at OU with instruction that is balanced and truthful.
3. Create classes dedicated to Palestine, taught by Palestinian professors at the university.
4. Stop the funding of study abroad trips to Israel and cut ties with universities in Israel.
5. Cut ties with companies that manufacture weapons or provide funding to Israel.
6. Offer support to Palestinian students, faculty and staff by specialized Arab healthcare providers.
Demands to the United States
1. Demand an end to the Israeli occupation, annexation and the siege of Palestinian land and people.
2. Restore basic human necessities that Israel cut off from the Gaza Strip.
3. Stop the blocking and bombing of humanitarian aid entering into Gaza.
4. Condemn the persecution of Palestinian people by Israel.
5. Stop funding to Israel and “invest in the people of the United States.”
6. Employ U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which calls for a withdrawal of Israeli troops in the occupied territories, acknowledges the claim of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every state in the region and asks the U.N. Secretary-General to appoint an envoy to facilitate a solution to the conflict, according to U.N. Peacemaker website.
The Student Coalition for Palestinian Liberation participates in the National Student Walkout on Oct. 25.
OU Daily is looking through courses offered at OU and the university’s factbook to verify and provide context to these demands. OU Daily is also looking at recent developments about U.S. involvement with Israel and the ongoing war as well as funding from the U.S.
Student Coalition for Palestinian Liberation was established in 2022. The student-led coalition is not an officially registered student organization because, according to a statement posted to Instagram, if they were registered, they would be subjected to OU’s censorship and regulations which would hinder their mission.
Following marches on Florida university campuses, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Chancellor of the State University System of Florida Ray Rodrigues called for the deactivation of all Palestinian liberation student organizations.
Muslim leaders and advocates across Oklahoma have spoken out against the ongoing violence and escalation of the Israel-Hamas war. Last week, hundreds of people in Tulsa gathered, holding signs and flags to support Palestinians.
According to the Israeli government, more than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed and more than 4,600 people have been killed in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 5,700 Palestinians have been killed in the war, including some 2,300 minors. This figure includes the disputed toll from an explosion at a hospital last week.
Spencer Bias, Anusha Fathepure, Alexia Aston, Taylor Jones, Peggy Dodd and Karoline Leonard contributed to this reporting.
This story was edited by Peggy Dodd, Taylor Jones, Alexia Aston and Karoline Leonard. Grace Rhodes and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
