New Orleans, LA – On Tuesday, March 11, the local Palestine solidarity movement sprang into action to demand the release of student activist Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born Palestinian illegally detained by ICE last week for his role in the Palestine-solidarity encampment at Columbia University. Although Khalil is a resident of New York, he was transported to a detention facility four hours away from the city of New Orleans, Jena, Louisiana for holding.

Activists rapidly mobilized a press conference, phone zap, and demonstrations, making it clear to the Trump administration and ICE that the movement in Louisiana will fight for Khalil’s release.

Press conference and phone zap calls on Representative Troy Carter to take action

At noon, six organizations spoke at an emergency press conference in front of Louisiana Representative Troy Carter’s downtown office demanding that he pushes for the release of Khalil and the reinstatement of his green card. The New Orleans for Palestine Coalition organized a day-long phone zap to ring his office.

Majdi Jaber of the New Orleans chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement reiterated the Coalition’s demand for Troy Carter to “align his actions with his words and meet with the Palestinian Youth, our elders, and our coalition partners, and also to join [Congresswoman] Rashida Tlaib and 13 other colleagues in the House in signing a letter that formally calls for the release of Mahmoud Khalil.”

Rory MacDonald, a Tulane student suspended for participationin a university encampment for Gaza, spoke on behalf of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). MacDonald said that Trump and his administration “are under the impression that they can get away with things in Louisiana that they cannot get away with in New York. We are here to tell them that they are dead wrong. The people and the students in New Orleans and Louisiana are watching, and we are going to raise hell in this city until Mahmoud Khalil is free!”

Troy Carter’s office has since released a statement condemning Trump’s attacks on students, stating, “I stand firmly against the misuse of federal power to suppress free speech. I am committed to protecting the rights of all individuals and will continue to push back against any effort that undermines the Constitution.”

Students take the streets in solidarity, demand sanctuary policies for immigrants

Later in the day at 4:30 p.m., over 100 people rallied and took to the streets demanding Khalil’s release and that Tulane and Loyola Universities declare themselves sanctuary campuses and refuse to comply with ICE. The rally began with chants like “Don’t give in to racist fears, immigrants are welcome here!” and “We want justice, you say how: free Mahmoud Khalil now!”

Student speeches called out their universities’ failures to protect immigrant students and explained why their demands must be met.

“In 2016 when students first organized to fight for this very struggle, the Tulane Undergraduate Assembly passed a resolution in favor of sanctuary. However, Tulane ignored them,” ​said Navya Prakash, a member of Together United SDS. Prakash elaborated that sanctuary policies would make it so that universities would not disclose information about students’immigration statuses to ICE, and not permit ICE on campus without a warrant.

Protesters then marched down to Saint Charles Avenue, a major roadway and home to both Tulane and Loyola University. The action halted traffic and occupied the street as Nadir Benslimane, a member of Liberate and Unite New Orleans SDS, spoke out against the purpose of political repression against activists.

Benslimane stated, “The goal of the Trump administration right now is to ensure that no one can use their free speech to speak out against the injustices that Trump and his cronies are committing here or supporting abroad.” The Trump administration has particularly targeted universities with threats to end federal funding for those that maintain their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Students then relocated to the sidewalk in front of Loyola University, chanting “Loyola, don’t comply, we are keeping DEI!” The protest concluded with calls to join one of the many organizations present to continue struggling for their demands to be met.

#NewOrleansLA #NOLA #LoyolaUniversity #LOYNO #Trump #PYM #FreePalestine #FreeMahmoudKhalil #MahmoudKhalil #SDS #ICE #TulaneUniversity #Loyola #Tulane

New Orleans, LA - On November 13, students packed a room to hear about their university’s difficult financial future and anincreasingly bloated and unaccountable administration.

The Muslim Student Association (MSA) and members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) created an exposé highlighting their campaign demanding that Loyola disclose their $250 million endowment fund.

Students were especially frustrated with tuition increases and cuts to their financial aid to bail out the university from its poor financial management.

“Loyola’s plans for the future are not looking great. You can expect tuition to increase from $47,390 to $51,656 and total financial aid to drop by 3%. This is all for what admin has called a ‘premium education’,” said Nadir Benslimane, a Liberate and Unite New Orleans (LUNO) SDS member. “If you think this premium education means more classes and higher paid professors, you’d be wrong. Loyola plans to hire two more vice presidents who will make over $300K, bloating our administration while professors who have worked here for 15 years haven’t ever seen a raise.”

On top of extreme tuition increases, this panel exposed the board of trustees and the corporation that controls the endowment fund and where that fund is invested. “The board of trustees iscomposed of wealthy business owners whose interests do not align with students’ material interests by any means,” said Miu Sims, an SDS member.

The exposé revealed that the university’s “ethical investment statement,” despite pandering to the Jesuit and Catholic values regarding investments, includes a clause that says ethical investing is very hard, and so they are free to do as they wish. The “corporation” is a small group of high-ranking Jesuits who control the board of trustees and have the ultimate say on where the investment fund ends up.

“The corporation excludes all outside perspectives by only hiring Jesuits and those in ‘good standing’ in the Society of Jesus, meaning only men can be on this corporation,” said Mae Guidry, SDS member.

The Jesuit Order has released several statements on the genocide of Palestinians and Pope Francis, a Jesuit, has called Israel a terrorist state. “They [the corporation] claim to represent Jesuit values but only at their convenience and your silence,” continued Mae.

The panelists then explained the retaliation that students have faced for demanding disclosure and exercising free speech and expression. “We’ve been consistently struggling for financial transparency, the right to free expression, and a meeting with admin. Now, two students have been fired for protesting; people are on disciplinary probation, and the administration is consolidating its power to shut down student free speech,” said Nour Saad, president of Loyola MSA.

The panelists concluded with a call to action to sign a letter to the president of Loyola, Xavier Cole, the Loyola board of trustees and the corporation with the following demands: Disclose all investments made by the university; divest from all companies related to Israeli apartheid; rescind all institutional sanctions placed on students related to free speech and expression, including but not limited to protesting, and calling for meetings with relevant university administrators regarding the above demands, including but not limited to President Xavier Cole.

This event served as a way to unite students around disclosure and institutional transparency.

#NewOrleansLA #NOLA #SDS #FreePalestine #LoyolaMSA #Loyola #Budget #Disclose #Divest #BDS #Endowment

New Orleans, LA – On July 15, at least 13 New Orleanian activists will join thousands to march on the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. This baker’s dozen is a group of leaders and organizers from Black liberation, labor, student and gender liberation movements.

“We are the phantom that haunts them in their sleep”

The coalition is fresh off of protesting Trump’s fundraiser in a New Orleans gated community near Tulane University. They say they’re ready to follow him to Wisconsin.

“I think it’s important to let the Republicans know that even when they leave their strong base in the South, that we’re gonna chase ‘em down and we’re gonna fight them every step of the way,” said Loyola Students for a Democratic Society organizer Jack Saucier. “We are the phantom that haunts them in their sleep. We’re everywhere that they think that we’re not and we’re on ‘em all the time.”

The city’s progressive movements are growing, but facing backlash from a state government dominated by racists and Christian fundamentalists. In June, Louisiana became the first state to require public schools to post the Ten Commandments in all classrooms.

“The attacks we face in Louisiana from the far right are part of the Republicans’ bigoted and undemocratic agenda. It’s important for us to fight those attacks at a local level, but that’s not enough,” said Molly Frayle of the Queer-Trans Community Action Project. “By protesting the RNC, we are sending a message to far-right politicians across the country.”

“It’s important that we keep our foot on these politicians’ necks”

As one of his first decisions in office, Governor Jeff Landry ramped up the Louisiana State Police’s presence in the New Orleans area. Their officers brutalized and arrested student protesters at the Tulane-Loyola Popular University for Gaza encampment in May. The Louisiana State Police can bypass the New Orleans Police Department’s consent decree, reversing decades of progress won by the movement for police accountability.

“It’s important that we keep our foot on these politicians’ necks,” said Kia Thomas of New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police. “They need to know we will not stand down.”

Abbey Lodwig, a barista, who will speak for Starbucks Workers United at the March on the RNC, states, “The Republicans are fighting to strip decades of labor rights the working class has won.”

Lodwig continued, “We’re excited to march on the RNC and we hope to see many union siblings alongside us!”

Palestine solidarity organizations were among the first to sponsor the march. Endorsers include New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports, NOLA Healthcare Workers for Palestine, and NOLA Artists for Palestine.

#NewOrleansLA #NOLA #FreePalestine #NOCOP #NOSHIP #MarchOnTheRNC #Starbucks #SWU #Loyola #LoyolaSDS #LoyNO #SDS

New Orleans, LA- On Friday, May 31, dozens of community members rallied in front of the Criminal District Court in New Orleans to defend those arrested at the Tulane and Loyola Popular University for participation in the Gaza encampment.

Several organizations across the city attended this rally to flood the courts for the arraignment. People spoke of the unjust arrests that took place during a police raid at the Popular University for Gaza, established by Loyola and Tulane University students.

“More and more people are waking up to the reality we live in, that is, no one is going to save us. This monopoly capitalist hell that we live in is not sustainable. A better way is possible,” said Juleea Berthelot, a student at Loyola University and president of Loyola Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). “The camp was a very material part of this ongoing struggle. It was beautiful and chaotic, and scary, and wonderful. And while it no longer exists in a material way, what remains is a movement that is stronger than ever,” Berthelot added.

Palestinian community members also rallied in support of the arrestees. “We are not afraid because we have the truth at our backs. That truth will set us all free. Palestinians and our allies alike, within our lifetime, Inshallah,” said a member of the New Orleans Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM). “How many of you continue to stand tall, while facing fake charges from our political opponents, fascist courts of injustice. Your upright behavior has exposed, once again, that the police as an institution do not exist to protect people. What do they exist to protect? Property. Capital. Exactly, this is capitalism.”

The crowd chanted “All the chains have been broken. Prison gates will fly open!” and “Not guilty, not sorry!” Those rallying loudly chanted towards the court, letting them know that this fight is not over. “One! We are the people. Two! We won’t stop fighting. Drop the charges, now, now, now!”

Speakers and members identified the necessity of escalation and the importance of the Palestinian armed resistance for the liberation of Palestine. They addressed the fact that, in recent weeks, multiple states and countries have finally recognized the statehood of Palestine.

“The resistance has changed the course of our future. Palestine will not be free without armed resistance and without our support in the United States of the armed resistance,” said Shreyas Vasudevan, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).

At the end of the rally, Rory MacDonald of Tulane SDS announced that the courts informed arrestees – one hour before the scheduled appearance – that their court date had been moved to July 30 and that they did not need to attend. District Attorney Jason Williams pushed back the court date to the final day possible to accept the charges. “Why did Jason Williams do this? Because he has no case,” said MacDonald.

Tulane University has suspended the chapter of Students for a Democratic Society. Loyola University is targeting student organizers with harsh punishments and attempting to quietly charge students.

New Orleanians across the city are rallying with students and organizers alike to publicize these issues, wielding the rallying cry: “Protesting is not a crime!” #NewOrleansLA #SDS #Loyola #Tulane #PopularUniversityForGaza

New Orleans, LA – Around 2 a.m., May 1, police raided an encampment for Palestine. On Monday, Students for a Democratic Society at Tulane and Loyola organized the camp at Tulane University. Protesters demand that Tulane end all aid to Israel.

That Tuesday, the camp reached its peak at over 300 participants, with many more coming in and out. Musicians played drums and the keyboard, and protesters sang and danced throughout the day. They read literature, screened a documentary, shared meals, and prayed according to multiple faiths. Police displayed a mobile billboard reading “No trespassing” and played loud elevator music from speakers to try to intimidate and drown out the crowd.

Early Wednesday morning, protesters woke up to over 100 riot police from various agencies, including the Louisiana State Police Department. Police arrested over a dozen protesters. Officers then proceeded to line up across both sides of Saint Charles Ave, the street in front of Tulane. They began shoving protesters on the neutral ground and pushed several women directly in their breasts. For over an hour, they gave no dispersal order. The crowd was on public property, so protesters did not know what the police planned to do or where to safely leave. After a tense standoff, the remaining crowd retreated together around 4:30 a.m.

SDS and other organizations have asked supporters to make phone calls to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office to demand the protesters’ immediate release.

#NewOrleansLA #StudentMovement #SDS #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #Occupy4Gaza #Tulane #Loyola

New Orleans, LA – On Monday, April 29, around 5 p.m., Students for a Democratic Society at Loyola and Tulane universities held a joint rally and march which gathered over 300 people. Students, university staff and community allies marched on both Tulane and Loyola’s campuses. The protesters paused on a sidewalk in front of Tulane’s admissions building and Gibson Hall, the oldest structure. Suddenly, the students took to the lawn in front of the building to set up their camping site.

The setup process was met with clashes with law enforcement. Tulane University Police Department officers were present and so was the New Orleans Police Department. Police authorities were prepared with riot and SWAT gear on standby. The student protesters began setting up camp as the community circled around them chanting: “Disclose! Divest! We will not stop we will not rest!”

The chanting continued as police officers rode horses into the crowd, and other officers attacked protesters and tackled some to the ground. The police actions caused a frenzy, but the students and allies remained united. The police arrested and carried seven protesters away. Approximately 30 minutes later, the camp was successfully established.

The student organizers took to the microphone and chanted their demands. “We demand that our universities divest fully from Israeli corporations that supply arms, fuel, or technology to Israel, and we demand that they disclose the annual investments of their respective endowment as of 2023,” said Carson Cruse, Loyola SDS member, as the crowd repeated his words.

Community allies formed a human barricade which continued getting populated for several hours and used umbrellas to deter police officers from approaching. The officers eventually stepped back. Hours later, the Louisiana State Police arrived on the scene. LSP officers stood approximately 15 feet away from the human chain that remained circling the encampment all night.

The students played music, shared food, received supplies, held chants, and gave speeches all through the night. During that time, many advocated via phone calls for the release of the seven arrestees who had been transported to Orleans Parish Prison.

At approximately 12:30 a.m., a protester who had been transported to Orleans Parish Prison and released less than five hours later returned to the encampment to give a speech and support the students. “We have nothing to fear, because we are standing with the bravest people in the world: the Palestinian resistance!” said Serena Sojic-Borne, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. All seven protesters were released at around 11:15 p.m. that same night.

The Tulane/Loyola encampment entered its second day on April 30. Police have remained near the encampment but have not approached since the initial arrests were made.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #StudentMovement #SDS #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #Tulane #Loyola #Occupy4Palestine #Feature

New Orleans, LA – On Friday, April 26, around noon, Students for a Democratic Society at Loyola University New Orleans and Tulane University held a joint walk out that led to a rally of over 150 people gathered in the front of the two universities. After a few speakers, a group of student organizers took the street and other students, faculty and community members followed. The rally turned into a street occupation. “Whose streets? Our streets!” and “Whose school? Our school!” participants chanted.

For Tulane students, this action was in response to Tulane University not allowing students to hold a public vigil on campus, as well as the university's direct support for Israel. For Loyola students, this action was in response to the school not meeting the demands set by the students earlier in the academic semester. These demands called on the university to provide a space for Palestinian, Muslim and Arab students to grieve and express their feelings without censorship, for the president of the university to release a public statement condemning the genocide currently being carried out on the Palestinian people, and to ensure that the new director of multicultural affairs (when appointed) has the resources and support required to effectively fulfill the position.

Mina Mahfouz, a Sudanese and Muslim senior at Loyola, talked about the repression that students on campus have been facing since the start of the fall semester.

“Last semester was a discouraging one for a lot of us. Loyola disappointed us in more ways than, I think, any of us anticipated. Not only did Loyola’s administration deny us a vigil multiple times, but they threw a few of us some bogus misconduct charges for organizing around campus, ignored our many bias reports and allowed for a handful of professors to spew genocidal rhetoric on and off campus,” Mahfouz said.

As students sat in the street, they continued to chant along with the rhythm of a bass drum “Up, up with liberation! Down, down with occupation!”

“Students are escalating and it is not spontaneous. It is because students are organized. This is exactly what the ruling class fears: a movement with a revolutionary character, one that sides with the oppressed,” said Juleea Berthelot, a student organizer with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. The crowd continued to occupy the street for an hour, disrupting business as usual in uptown New Orleans.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #StudentMovement #SDS #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #Loyola #Tulane

New Orleans, LA – On November 3, about 150 protesters gathered outside the Sheraton on Canal Street to protest the annual State of the Port address. This address, given to port stakeholders who paid a $240 registration fee, took place in the hotel around 11 a.m. Protesters condemned the port’s collaboration with Israel, which includes a so-called “innovation embassy” enabling relationships between tech startups in New Orleans and Ashdod, which is located in Israeli-occupied Palestine.

Participants marched up and down Canal Street, the city’s largest downtown thoroughfare. They chanted “Stop the trade! End the aid!” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”

The New Orleans Police Department blocked the hotel entrance with barricades. Event sponsors included the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Students for a Democratic Society at Loyola.

#NewOrleansLA #FreePalestine #SDS #Loyola

New Orleans, LA – On October 26, over 250 students and community members gathered for a rally near Tulane University’s campus. Despite a counter-protest of obviously intoxicated students shouting Islamophobic and racist slurs, demonstrators outnumbered them and drowned them out. Chants like “Tulane, Tulane you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide!” energized the crowd. 

The newly formed Tulane4Palestine led the demonstration against the deep ties between the university and the state of Israel. “We demand the termination of all contracts with institutions that support the ongoing genocide of Palestinians,” said a member of Tulane4Palestine.

Speakers connected their experiences as Palestinian and Arab Americans to the ongoing struggle for Palestinian liberation. “They had new and advanced Israeli and American war equipment and a Canadian-based PR company, or should I say propaganda machine, so this time we knew they were coming to destroy it all” said Mina Mahfouz, an organizer with Loyola Students for a Democratic Society, condemning the violence perpetrated by Israeli-backed militias in her home country of Sudan.

During the rally, a supporting Palestinian community member and their family drove by, waving a Palestinian flag. A counter-protester threw an Israeli flag into the truck. When they drove by again, a boy in the truck bed apparently tried to light the Israeli flag on fire when Zionist counter-protesters rushed the vehicle. When the driver attempted to defend his vehicle, another protester and member of Jewish Voices for Peace attempted to defuse the situation. Police brutalized and arrested them. Local and national news sources reported incorrectly that Palestinian protesters attacked Jewish students.

After the initial arrest, the driver was arrested when a counter-protester spotted him sitting in his truck down the street from the ongoing rally and alerted the police. Despite the Zionist attack, protesters continued to disrupt business as usual in the university. Tulane, a school that receives large sums of money from Zionist organizations and donors, was shaken to its core by this unprecedentedly large act of defiance. As protesters continued chanting, they also denounced the arrests and demanded the police hold the true instigators of the altercation by held accountable.

#NewOrleansLA #FreePalestine #Tulane #Tulane4Palestine #LoyolaSDS #Loyola #SDS