Colorado School of Mines joins the struggle for a free Palestine
Golden, CO – Around 3 p.m., November 16, the Students for a Democratic Society at Colorado School of Mines hosted a speak-out of around 80 people on the Colorado School of Mines campus in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance. The students of this STEM campus relayed an undeniable message that they stand with Palestine, not the weapons manufacturers that litter their campus.
Joined by Denver SDS and the Colorado Palestine Coalition, these young activists passionately denounced the Colorado School of Mines’ deep ties with weapons manufacturers, the Israeli occupation, and reaffirmed their unwavering support for Palestinians fighting for liberation.
Mines SDS demands an end to U.S. aid to Israel, and as an engineering-focused school, demands that the Colorado School of Mines cut ties with defense contractors like Lockheed Martin. These war profiteers hawkishly target young engineering students to transform them into producers of terrifying weaponry.
Furthermore, speakers were able to connect with students on a level that spurred some to reconsider their lack of action. Speaker Paul Nelson called out to the campus asking, “What if it were your family? Your grandparents, siblings, parents, all wiped out in a second. What if you were facing genocide?” In response to this sobering question, many students stopped to listen to the event. Some even joined the audience.
From the beginning of the protest, a small group of around a dozen Zionist counter-protesters attempted to silence the students. These Zionists provided no real threat to the speak-out but did show their startling beliefs by laughing and cracking jokes amongst themselves when speakers called out the genocide Israelis waging on Gaza. As displayed by Zionists across this country, this behavior is commonplace. Zionism is a genocidal ideology.
Counter-protesters or not, mass student power will never be silenced. Mines SDS will continue to stand with the Palestinian resistance until their demands have been met and Palestine is free!