Rhode Island School of Design students marched from the intersection of Waterman and Benefit streets to Textron headquarters on Westminster Street Thursday, joining other community organizations as part of a .
The approximately 100 students and community members were present at the rally 鈥� which was part of 鈥淪hut it Down for Palestine,鈥� a organized by groups such as the National Students for Justice in Palestine. Protestors called for a ceasefire in Gaza and protested Textron鈥檚 connections to the Israeli military.
is a $12.9 billion, multi-industry company involved in defense manufacturing that works with the U.S. Department of Defense. The Israeli Air Force arsenal currently includes .
Thursday鈥檚 rally was organized by members of the and , among other local advocacy groups.
Protesters carried signs that read 鈥淭extron supports genocide鈥� and 鈥淨uit your job.鈥� Rally participants aimed to show solidarity with the Palestinian people, according to Andira Alves, an organizer from the Party for Socialism and Liberation. The United Nations has that Palestinians are at 鈥済rave risk of genocide鈥� as a result of Israel鈥檚 鈥� consisting of airstrikes, a ground invasion and an escalation of its blockade of Gaza 鈥� in response to Hamas鈥檚 Oct. 7 attacks.
Alves added that the protest hoped to build off of momentum from a in Washington, D.C., which was attended by tens of thousands of protestors.
鈥淧eople are demanding no business as usual when there is a genocide taking place in Palestine,鈥� PSL Rhode Island Organizer Satya Mohapatra wrote in a message to The Herald. 鈥淲e are talking about millions of people in America who want to have an immediate ceasefire now 鈥� ending all U.S. aid to Israel and ending the occupation of Palestine.鈥�
Demonstrators also called on RISD, which has funding from Textron for exhibits, scholarships, fellowships and studios, to cut ties with Textron, wrote Luca Antonio Colannino, president of RISD SJP, in an email to The Herald. Protestors chanted: 鈥淩ISD, RISD, what do you say? How many bombs have you dropped today?鈥�
RISD its first gift from Textron鈥檚 founder in 1944; the 鈥渃umulative investment鈥� has grown to $28 million, according to RISD鈥檚 website.
鈥淥ur school has fostered a nearly 80-year relationship with Textron,鈥� Colannino said. 鈥淭his demand is supported by a call for RISD to support a ceasefire in Gaza, and recognize its complicity in Israeli war crimes.鈥�
鈥淲e also orchestrated this walkout as a way to protect pro-Palestine students on campus, and show our university our unwavering solidarity for the Palestinian people,鈥� they added.
鈥淜nowing that I鈥檓 part of a school that is kind of somewhat funding this genocide is really disheartening,鈥� said a RISD student who requested to remain anonymous for safety concerns.
Jaime Marland, senior director of public relations at RISD, did not respond to The Herald鈥檚 requests for comments on the demonstration.
The protest was the latest in a series of local demonstrations against Textron. On Oct. 21, pro-Palestine community members marched from the Rhode Island State House to Textron鈥檚 headquarters, The Herald previously reported. Two RISD students are also currently under for allegedly spray-painting the words 鈥淜ills Kids鈥� on Textron鈥檚 building on Nov. 1.
Following Thursday鈥檚 demonstration, Michael Maynard, director of corporate communications for Textron, wrote in an email to The Herald that 鈥淭extron respects the right of people to engage in peaceful and lawful protest. We 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�
鈥淎s a multi-industry company with locations in 25 countries, we are also proud of the role we play in our communities, particularly our headquarters community of Providence,鈥� Maynard continued. 鈥淲e would also like to thank the Providence police and local law enforcement for their assistance in ensuring the safety of our employees, tenants and guests.鈥�
Providence Police Department officers were present in the area surrounding demonstrators at the Nov. 9 protest.
In a speech to the crowd, Alves called on protesters to 鈥渕ake it crystal clear 鈥� that we will no longer tolerate our local economy being dominated by a weapons manufacturer.鈥�
Additional reporting by Julia Vaz
Tom Li is a Metro Editor covering the Health & Environment and Development & Infrastructure beats. He is from Pleasanton, California, and is concentrating in Economics and International & Public Affairs. He is an avid RIPTA passenger and enjoys taking (and criticizing) personality tests in his free time.
Ciara Meyer is a Senior Staff Writer covering the Beyond Brown beat. She is from Saratoga Springs, New York and plans on concentrating in Statistics and English nonfiction. In her free time, she loves scrapbooking and building lego flowers.
