SJP Organizes Outside Parrish Hall to Commence Palestine ‘Week of Actions’

On Tuesday Oct. 8, students organized outside Parrish Hall as a part of the “Palestine Week of Actions,” a series of events organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). The week marks one year since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023. 

Tuesday’s protest, dubbed the “All Out for Gaza Strike,” began at 12 p.m. as students walked out of classes, gathered in Kohlberg Courtyard, and marched to the front entrance of Parrish Hall. After student speeches and chants, protesters linked arms, forming a human chain to block the main entrance of Parrish. Taking shifts, students remained seated outside the building from 12:30 to 5 p.m. that day. 

In an interview with The Phoenix, an anonymous representative from SJP discussed the group’s intentions in organizing the Palestine Week of Actions.

“The purpose of this is to center the fact that it has been a year of genocide — a year of genocide that has been completely livestreamed by the Palestinian people. For anyone who has half an ear to listen, to watch, you can do it,” they explained. 

The representative emphasized that SJP’s aim is to refocus the community’s attention on Israel’s ongoing violence against the Palestinian people.  

“The problem is that when this [anniversary] comes up, it becomes all about the moment of Oct. 7. We want to make sure that it’s clear that what is more central for us is the genocide that has followed. That is the real power dynamic that needs to be stopped, which is that there is a colonizing, genocidal ethnostate, and they want to get rid of the Palestinian people. So [this is] a week for that.” shared the student representative.

The representative added that with this week’s demonstrations, SJP hopes to empower the student body to support the Palestinian liberation with increased longevity and fervor.

“This is a student body that is deeply politicized, deeply powerful, and hopefully more and more so. What I want is to get people who become committed to Palestinian liberation, because this struggle will not just be this year’s struggle. This struggle will be a years-long struggle, and [while] it happens, it will need people to join for longer than a few months.” 

In an email to the community on Apr. 23, 2024, then-Acting Co-Presidents Provost and Dean of Faculty Tomoko Sakomura and Vice President for Finance and Administration Rob Goldberg wrote, “We have reiterated time and again that Swarthmore is deeply committed to freedom of expression, including the freedom to protest and dissent peacefully.” 

In an email exchange with The Phoenix, Vice President for Communications and Marketing Andy Hirsch conveyed that the college’s stance regarding peaceful protest remains unchanged from previous communication, referencing  Sakomura and Goldberg’s statement. He also referred The Phoenix to a later part of the statement, which reads, “We have also been consistent in our commitment to building and maintaining a culture of accountability and informing members of the community that those who violate College policy will be held responsible for their actions.” 

“To be clear, I’m not suggesting that Tuesday’s protest activity violated College policy. However, I think this [excerpt] is important context,” Hirsch stated. 

Hirsch also shared that, to his knowledge, the line of student protestors in front of Parrish did not significantly impede the work of administration members or college staff. 

“The protestors certainly made their presence known, and I’m aware of some complaints from other students about the fact that the main entrance to Parrish was blocked. Staff members did have to inform protestors that they had to allow people to pass through the entrance. But I’m not aware of Tuesday’s protest significantly affecting any staff member’s ability to perform their jobs.” 

The human-chain protest marked a new style of demonstration for recent Swarthmore activists, with the most recent event of this kind that The Phoenix could identify being in the 1960s. This is not the only change for SJP, with the code of conduct adjustments affecting their demands. 

The representative from SJP discussed the group’s updated demands moving into the 2024-25 academic year, specifically in reaction to ongoing student charges.

“In terms of updated demands, the most important one is the dropping of charges. However, we don’t want to make it seem as if that’s our only demand, or now our only demand. Our main [goal] always will be divestment,” they shared. 

When asked if student charges have altered SJP’s approach to protest, the representative shared that while their approach has changed, they cannot share how. 

“[The charges] are something we’re taking into account. Simultaneously, I don’t quite feel at liberty to disclose exactly how, because I think that that’s kind of asking, ‘So what’s next?’ And the answer is, you’ll find out.” 

The Palestine Week of Actions will come to an end with two final events. The Armed Resistance Teach-In will take place in the Scheuer Room at 7 p.m. on Thursday Oct. 10, and the Jewish Voice for Peace Vigil will be held at 12:15 p.m. on Friday Oct. 11 on Parrish Porch.