The Penn State Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) held a protest on Wednesday to demand an end to the Israel-Hamas war and draw attention to the lives lost during and after the events of October 7, 2023.

The protest began at 6 p.m. at the Allen Street Gates, where about forty protesters gathered to show their support for Palestine. Some individuals concealed their identities with face masks and sunglasses, while others went uncovered.

Many protesters held signs that read “Hands off the Middle East” or “ICE, KKK, IDF: they’re all the same.” Others were seen holding Palestinian flags.

The congregation stood quietly at the gates for about fifteen minutes, while passing drivers either honked in support or yelled obscenities out their windows in disapproval.

Across the street stood an individual protesting on behalf of Israel, holding a sign that read “Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) love Hamas and celebrate the October 7 terrorist attack. They hate Jews, Israel, and the USA.”

“We stand here after three years of witnessing Zionist violence. We know that the entire world now knows that Zionism is genocide,” An SJP student speaker said to begin the protest. “Zionism is colonialism. Zionism is racism. Zionism is violent and brutal. Zionism is incompatible with humanity, dignity, and life. There is no future with Zionism.”

The protesters specifically criticized Israel, Zionism, and Penn State’s response to the war, accusing the university of failing to oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza.

“Penn State continues to be silent, continues to enable the murder of thousands and thousands and thousands of people. It is on every single one of us to make sure that that is not the reality of the future,” the student speaker continued.

“It is on us to make sure that our institution, that our peers, that everyone understands that we cannot and we will not stand by if Israel continues to massacre people.”

The second speaker, another member of SJP, discussed the events of October 7, 2023, and the lasting effects the day had on Gaza and its people.

“Israel continues its genocide while the world watches,” she said.

“We know that Israel could not do this without the support of the United States. While we watch the horrors of genocide play out on our phones, our government spends an estimated 21.8 billion dollars in military support for Israel. Shame!”

The march began about 30 minutes after the rally started.

The protesters walked across the Old Main Lawn toward the HUB, all while chanting messages such as “Penn State admin you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide” and “Israel bombs, Penn State pays, how many kids did you kill today?”

The group made its way up the HUB Lawn and toward Pollock Road, then turned onto the Patte Mall and circled back to the front of Old Main.

Police officers were seen trailing the protesters from a distance, while counterprotesters stood at the front of the SJP congregation to counter SJP’s messages.

The SJP protest ended around 7 p.m. in front of Old Main. They finished off with some closing chants, saying “Long live Palestine” and “Glory to the martyr.”

The group’s closing speaker said there was “one solution: revolution,” and concluded by asking Penn State to pick a side: justice or genocide.