Ohio University Students for Justice in Palestine, or SJP, organized a silent protest on College Green to provide solidarity for Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas War.
From 3-5 p.m., the university held a presidential pizza party, which was when the silent protest occurred. Many students felt it was important to address the war at an event that would gain traction from university students, officials and Athens residents.
Henry Turner, a member of SJP and a sophomore studying creative writing, said the purpose of the silent protest is to show visibility for Palestine and engage in conversations with others.
“We wanted to make sure that the fight for freedom and justice in Palestine is visible and that we communicate to the university as well as everyone else in the community that we have not forgotten about the genocide,” Turner said.
Many members were holding Palestinian flags, posters and pamphlets. One poster read, “Talk to me about the liberation of Gaza.”
The members were spread out across sectors of College Green, some even directly in front of OU President Lori Stewart Gonzalez and other university officials.
A key organizer of the protest, who requested to remain anonymous due to security concerns, said being present at the event is getting SJP’s message across to university executives.
“Trying our best in a small, humble way, and that's what we really care about; where we stand in this great divide between justice and injustice, between truth and falsehood,” the source said.
SJP organized a protest in April 2024 for the university to divest and disclose any investments it has that support Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
Dan Pittman, senior director of communications, said Ohio law prohibits public universities from divesting any interests in Israel or adopting a policy that requires divestment from Israel with persons or entities associated with it.
Turner was confident university officials certainly took notice of SJP’s silent protest.
“I think the message that we are here and we are not going away was heard,” Turner said.
