Around 100 students marched from the Main Green to the downtown headquarters of , a multi-industry company involved in defense manufacturing, as part of a walkout organized by the Friday afternoon.
At the start of the protest, demonstrators hung a sign that read 鈥淏rown Invests in the Palestinian Genocide鈥� on Sayles Hall. Organizers also held up banners with the names of each of the 11,320 people who had in Israel鈥檚 retaliation in Gaza by early last week, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
In a press release from the Palestine Solidarity Caucus, the group also called on the University to 鈥渃ondemn 鈥� any racist harassment, doxing and censorship against students by taking concrete steps to protect the Palestinian community at Brown instead of arresting peaceful protestors.鈥�
They also called for the University to denounce the 鈥渙ngoing Palestinian genocide,鈥� divest from manufacturers and assets that have 鈥渃ontributed arms to Israel鈥� and lobby Rhode Island鈥檚 U.S. senators to support a ceasefire in Gaza.
At a faculty meeting earlier this month, President Christina Paxson P鈥�19 P鈥橫D鈥�20 said the University would protect free speech. 鈥淚 wholeheartedly agree that there should be no 鈥楶alestinian exception鈥� to freedom of expression,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 will go further: There are no exceptions to Brown鈥檚 clearly articulated policy on academic freedom and freedom of expression for views on any issue.鈥�
Paxson declined to comment on demands for the University to call for a ceasefire.
In speeches on the Main Green, students also criticized Paxson for her previous that 鈥淏rown鈥檚 endowment is not a political instrument鈥� and argued that it was inconsistent with the University鈥檚 previous divestment from companies involved with tobacco and the Sudanese government鈥檚 human rights violations in Darfur, The Herald previously reported.
Speakers also referenced the University鈥檚 for 2023, which stated that the University鈥檚 endowment, now totaling $6.6 billion, would 鈥渃ontinue to 鈥� shape the character of Brown as an institution and ensure its permanence.鈥�
鈥淲hat is the character of an institution that uses both privilege and global presence to support genocide?鈥� asked one speaker at the walkout.
鈥淲e know that many members of the Brown community feel the effects of these events in very deep and personal ways,鈥� wrote University Spokesperson Brian Clark in an email to The Herald. 鈥淏rown leaders have met with multiple student groups in regard to their concerns about Israel and Gaza, and the University remains committed to engaging with students who are in touch directly with ideas or concerns.鈥�
Protestors then marched down College Hill toward Textron headquarters to join a protest organized by the Rhode Island chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Protestors chanted and carried signs with phrases such as 鈥淭extron profits while children are killed.鈥�
Textron is a $12.9 billion company that engages in defense manufacturing affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. The Israeli Air Force arsenal currently includes .
At the company鈥檚 headquarters on Westminster Street, protestors heard speeches from members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the Palestinian Feminist Collective, the Palestine Solidarity Caucus and students at Rhode Island College.
鈥淭oday we are gathered here in front of Textron, another company who profits off of genocide,鈥� said Pamela, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation who only identified herself by her first name, in a speech at the protest. 鈥淎 company who profits by aiding the occupation of Palestinians. We鈥檙e here to shut down Textron for Palestine.鈥�
Michael Maynard, director of corporate communications for Textron, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
鈥淭extron respects the right of people to engage in peaceful and lawful protest,鈥� Maynard previously wrote in an email to The Herald. 鈥淲e take pride in supporting the U.S. military and our U.S. allies with our technologies and products, following all laws and regulations related to foreign military sales.鈥�
鈥淚 know that if my family hadn鈥檛 been living in the U.S., I would be one of the people under the rubble,鈥� said Farah, a student at Rhode Island College who only identified herself by her first name, in a speech at the protest. 鈥淢y family were among those who were forcibly displaced in 1948. They had to migrate to Jordan as refugees. We were strangers to new land.鈥�
Sherena Razek GS, an organizer with the Palestine Solidarity Caucus, called on the University to 鈥渉eed the multiple democratic referenda and recommendations of its own ethical investment advisory committee 鈥� to divest from corporations complicit in the perpetuation of the human rights abuses against Palestinians.鈥�
鈥淭hese institutions and their endowments are so deeply entrenched in the military-industrial complex, 鈥� (they) experience calls for divestment as existential threats,鈥� she added.
