New York, NY – On March 3, around 25 NYU students and faculty gathered in the rain at Washington Square Park to oppose the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

The rally was organized by the NYU Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), NYU Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), NYU Jews Against Zionism (JAZ) and NYU Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP).

Protesters chanted, “We want justice, you say how? Hands off Iran now!” and “From the belly of the beast, hands off the Middle East!” Organizers held a banner reading “Money for jobs and education! Not for bombs and occupation!” As the protest continued, people from the community stopped to take photos and videos of the event.

A representative from JAZ stated. “As Jews Against Zionism, we recognize Israel's involvement in the bombing as a blatant act of imperialism. We reject the Jewish supremacist state and its American collaborators! We condemn the U.S.-Israeli war machine and NYU's active role within it. We stand in solidarity with all peoples of the world in the struggle against American imperialism.”

Ebtesham Ahmed spoke for NYU SDS. “It is our duty as people residing in the belly of the beast to oppose this war. However, it is not just our moral duty, we have an objective material interest in opposing this war. Because as I said, we, the people did not want this war. But you know who clearly did: the billionaire class of this country. They want to take hold of Iranian oil for themselves; they want their overseas unsinkable aircraft carrier called Israel to be able to carry out its settler colonial efforts unopposed. They want this war – we don’t.”

Arang Keshevarian from NYU FSJP spoke, “Donald Trump and his cronies are using, instrumentalizing and abusing the bravery of the Iranian people to confront their oppressors. They’re using this to justify and try to legitimate this war effort. And we cannot let them do that”

Ahmed encouraged people to continue to take action to oppose this war effort with Iran. They stressed the importance of getting organized, as it was more crucial than ever with the attacks the Trump administration launches here and abroad.

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