Milwaukee, WI – On October 25, nearly 150 students answered the call of UW-Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society for a local action in solidarity with Palestine as a part of a much broader coordinated national walk out involving more than a half dozen groups.

SDS partnered with UWM Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Muslim Student Association (MSA).

“History did not start on October 7,” said Zaid Dahir, the president of the UWM MSA. “Israel has been relentlessly bombing and conducting non-stop air raids over Gaza. While the Israeli government and Western media claim that Israel is conducting these strikes towards militant positions, this is far from true. Israel has bombed numerous civilian homes, schools, hospitals, and this has led to a horrific number of civilian deaths, with about 40% of all casualties being innocent children.”

Dahir continued, “It's been 75 years. How long will it take for these injustices to end? 80 years? 90 years? This needs to end now! Enough is enough! We are done waiting!”

Students and supporters gathered in front of the Golda Meir Library, named after the first woman to be prime minister of Israel (1969-1974). Meir had a brief stay in Milwaukee in her youth and that was enough to earn her recognition from the university with a building. She's infamous for declaring that there is no such thing as a Palestinian people and therefore they have no rights.

“How can a university that says they champion diversity, equity and inclusion celebrate a figure who denied the very existence and rights of the Palestinian people?” asked Patricia Fish, a member and leader of SDS. “UWM claims to be anti-racist but POC enrollment and retention is abysmal and it’s not a surprise as to why. How can students feel safe when the university uplifts people like Golda Meir?”

Fish continued, “It is for these reasons that SDS calls for our university to take seriously the plights of its students. We demand UWM rename the library, we demand UWM end all study abroad trips to the occupation and we demand UWM end any and all funds that aid the genocide of Palestinians.”

After speeches, organizers led a march throughout the UWM campus, eventually taking to the streets. People chanted things like “Justice is our demand! No peace on stolen land!” and “When people are occupied, resistance is justified!” as they marched. The demonstration had a high level of support, with honks from passing cars passing and even drawing a number of people walking by into the march itself.

The march ended where it started, in front of the Golda Meir Library, where everyone assembled for one final round of spirited chants of “Free, free Palestine!” and “Long live Gaza!” Patricia Fish, the emcee, urged everyone to continue taking action and to stay involved. SDS, SJP, and MSA hope to continue working together around issues relating to Palestine and especially those that impact students at UWM.

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