Students Demand NYU Cut Ties with Israel Over Gaza Genocide Allegations

Over 100 students gathered at Garibaldi Plaza in Washington Square Park on October 7 to protest New York University’s (NYU) ties to Israel. The demonstration, organized by NYU Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), came amid ongoing tensions over the Israeli military actions in Gaza. Protesters called for NYU to sever its connections with Israel, citing three years of what they describe as genocide in the region.

Participants chanted, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” Several journalists documented the event with cameras and photographs. Police officers remained nearby, monitoring the demonstration without intervening. Many passersby joined the chants, expressing solidarity with the protesters. A small number of individuals identified as Zionists confronted the demonstrators, but the crowd largely ignored their remarks.

The SJP, representing student activists affiliated with the Student Government Assembly, Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine, and Law Students for Justice in Palestine, spoke about the impact of Israel’s actions in Gaza over the past three years and the ongoing occupation of Palestine for 78 years. They accused NYU of complicity in these actions, pointing to the university’s investments in weapons companies, its campus in Tel Aviv, and its suppression of pro-Palestinian speech on campus. The group called for NYU to close its Tel Aviv campus, disclose and divest from weapons and Israeli-related investments, and halt its restrictions on pro-Palestinian expression.

Following the speeches, protesters marched around the NYU campus, chanting, “One, we are the students! Two, we won’t stop fighting. Three, until Palestine is free, free, free, free!” and “NYU what do you say, how many kids did you kill today?” Police officers remained in close proximity during the march.

After the demonstration, the SJP invited attendees to a vigil, marking the conclusion of their week of actions for Palestine as the semester began. The event underscored the growing campus activism around the Israel-Palestine conflict, with students demanding accountability and change from institutions they believe have supported policies that harm Palestinian communities.

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