By Kathryn Taleporos | August 26, 2024
Pro-Palestinian student Protestors at Convocation
Photo Credit: Kathryn Taleporos/The ASP
The University at Albany welcomed the incoming class of 2028 and transfer students on Friday, Aug. 23, amongst protesters demonstrating for the liberation of Palestine.
Convocation, which took place in the Entry Plaza, is traditionally a moment for freshmen and transfer students to be welcomed to campus by select administrators and faculty.
However, this year’s convocation looked different from prior ceremonies.
During a speech made by university president Havidan Rodriguez, a group of student protestors were seen waving a Palestinian flag and chanting “Free Palestine” throughout his speech.
UAlbany Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a student organization “that seeks to unify, educate, and work toward a liberated Palestine,” wrote in a comment to the Albany Student Press, “During Friday’s open convocation ceremony, several student activists ensured that UAlbany’s president, Havidan Rodriguez, knows that the student intifada has just begun.”
According to SJP’s MyInvolvement page, “Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) is a student organization that seeks to unify, educate, and work toward a liberated Palestine. While also striving to bring awareness and support to the plight of Palestinian people.”
SJP also demanded Rodriguez to remove his signature from a coalition statement signed by more than 100 institutions of higher education titled “Universities United Against Terrorism,” which states that their core principles are that the Palestinian militant group Hamas, who governs the Gaza Strip, is a “terrorist organization” who do not represent the Palestinian people.
“Havidan justifies the ongoing genocide as a ‘fight against all evil’ all while erasing the Palestinian right to resist in the ‘Universities United Against Terrorism’ statement he signed on behalf of UAlbany,” SJP said. “UAlbany SJP reaffirms that the students of this university stand with Palestine and remove UAlbany from the coalition.”
After a few minutes of demonstration from protestors, Rodriguez began to speak over the protesters, continuing with a speech that emphasized unity and diversity. Rodriguez said, “We need to move forward, and we need to ask you to allow us to continue this celebration for our students.”
“UAlbany does not tolerate bigotry, and discrimination,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez also heavily encouraged students to make their voices heard through exercising their right to vote in the upcoming election.
“The November 4 elections are fast approaching, please exercise your right to vote… you have the power to make a difference,” Rodriguez emphasized to students.
After Rodriguez’s speech, flyers were distributed by student protestors to freshmen walking to their class photo.
Flyers distributed at convocation by pro-Palestinian protestors.
Photo Credit: Kathryn Taleporos/The ASP
The flyers were titled “Welcome to the revolution, Class of 2028 and returning students.” The flyers included information about SJP’s message, as well as QR codes to SUNY BDS and UAlbany SJP.
The demonstration comes after the UAlbany Student Association became one of the first SUNY student governments to pass a Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) resolution. The resolution passed by the Student Association calls for an academic boycott of Israeli universities and a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.
The war broke out after a Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killed nearly 1,200 people, including almost 800 civilians. In the following months, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) response in Gaza has killed more than 40,000 people.
UAlbany’s chapter of SJP, as well as UAlbany’s Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) also organized their largest protest calling for SUNY divestment from Israel last semester after UAlbany renewed their study abroad programs with Israeli universities.
YDSA also spoke on the protest to the Albany Student Press: “YDSA stands in total solidarity with the actionists, SJP, and the Palestinian liberation movement - until divestment, liberation, and return.”
The protest at convocation was met with mixed reactions. An Instagram post shared by UAlbany SJP showed a student at convocation throwing water at protestors.
However, the protest and Convocation both ended peacefully, and students transitioned to the class photo and President’s picnic.
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