New Brunswick, NJ – On Tuesday, April 29, Rutgers Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally against a speaking event hosted by Rutgers Hillel. The speech was part of “Israel Week,” a series of events intended to justify and celebrate the ongoing genocide and occupation of Palestine., New Jersey U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer, a staunch Zionist and supporter of Israel’s war crimes, was invited to meet with students that day.

About 60 protesters gathered in front of the building entrance, chanting slogans like, “Every time Gottheimer lies, a family in Gaza dies!” As more people began arriving at the rally, an SDS member told the crowd, “Hillel has invited a Zionist, genocidal psychopath to campus! Someone who supports the murder of innocent Palestinians! Entire families are being killed.”

Along with SDS, Central New Jersey chapters of DSA and Jewish Voice for Peace helped organize the rally.

As the speakers were about to begin, protesters walked past the metal barricades and onto the sidewalk outside the building. Hillel began playing loud music to silence the protest, but the crowd drowned it out with even louder chanting. Rutgers University police started ordering the crowd to disperse, but the rally did not back down.

Shortly after the warning, police rushed into the crowd and began violently grabbing protesters. Several students were shoved to the ground, and officers threw people into the barricades, knocking over the entire row. One arrestee was slammed onto the sidewalk and held down by multiple officers. The crowd eventually dispersed after witnessing the excessive brutality used by RUPD.

In total, four people were arrested, including three students. About 20 protesters walked to the jail to await their release. That night, the students were released, while the fourth protester, Thomas Whitehead, is still being held in jail, with a court date scheduled for May 6. All the arrestees were charged with felonies, and the students received suspensions from the university.

SDS released a statement condemning the arrests and calling for the charges to be dropped. They also demanded that Rutgers lift all suspensions of the arrested students. The organization pledged to continue fighting for a free Palestine and resisting the repression of the student movement on campus.

Representative Josh Gottheimer defended the violent actions of the police in a statement given to Jewish News Syndicate, a pro-Israel news agency. Gottheimer is an outspoken Zionist and defender of Israeli genocide, and he is well known for leading legislation that strengthens U.S. ties with Israel and increases military support. In late 2024, he announced his bid for governor of New Jersey, looking to replace Phil Murphy.

No matter where Rep. Gottheimer goes, he will face fierce resistance from pro-Palestine activists fighting to end the genocide in Gaza.

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New Brunswick, NJ – On Friday, March 28, Rutgers Students for a Democratic Society led dozens of students in protest of a speaking event hosted by two Israeli soldiers. The event was protesting a nationwide tour intended to justify and celebrate the soldiers' war crimes and participation in the genocide of the Palestinian people. Students for Justice in Palestine, along with other local organizations, co-sponsored the protest.

Students rallied outside the College Avenue Gym, across the street from where the event was being held. After chants of “Free, free Palestine!” and “IOF deserves no rest, they bomb schools and kill the press!” they took to the streets, marching across campus.

During the protest, students faced intimidation attempts from university police and pro-Israel counter protesters. The original protest location, the gym lawn, was fenced off by police, so students took over the sidewalk instead. Several activists were also recorded and later posted on the social media accounts of Zionist hate organizations like Betar and Students Supporting Israel.

The march ended in front of the Helix tower, a construction site that is planned upon its completion to host operations for Tel Aviv University. An activist from NJ BURN spoke out against New Brunswick and Rutgers’ partnerships with the university, declaring, “That is gonna be a satellite campus for Tel Aviv University. The same university in Israel that is streamlining genocidal technology to maim and kill Palestinians!”

Rutgers SDS ended the protest with a commitment to future action, “We’re not done!” an SDS member told the crowd. “We’re gonna be back! Week after week, month after month, year after year, we will fight!”

Allowing Zionist soldiers on campus is just one of the many ways Rutgers supports Israel. Despite facing overwhelming support for divestment, the university has refused to comply with the demands of the students. Rutgers also continues to defend its partnership with Tel Aviv University, with President Johnathon Holloway saying last April, “We were asked to sever that relationship. We will not. Period.”

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