I can only imagine the fear young Jewish college students felt when they were abruptly shaken from their studies to such violent chanting by unknown strangers who had descended upon their campus.

In the last year, university administrators nationwide have come under fire for their handling of campus protests. On Wednesday, Sep. 4, WashU Chancellor Andrew Martin shared his perspective. When asked a similar question that landed some of his colleagues in hot water — like university presidents at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University — Martin had a different answer.

To be “pro-Palestine,” one does not have to justify the horrific acts of terror that were committed on Oct. 7. To be “pro-Palestine,” one need not be anti-Israel. And being anti-Israel doesn’t make one effectively pro-Palestine.

Protesters have spoken out against Washington University’s administration after the WashU Police Department (WUPD) carried out more than 100 arrests at a pro-Palestine encampment, with some calling the response unnecessarily violent, April 27.

The Washington University College Democrats and WashU College Republicans (WUCR) debated abortion, gun violence, climate change, the Israel-Hamas war, and the Russia-Ukraine war in their semesterly Campus Crossfire in Tisch Commons, April 24. 

Around 250 Washington University students and community members staged a pro-Palestine march from Forest park to Olin Library and set up an encampment just outside the library before moving it to the East End of campus, April 27.

Six Jewish students formed the Jewish Students for Palestine (JSP) group to practice their faith and advocate for their non-Zionist beliefs at Washington University, March 5.  JSP is the first Jewish organization at WashU to unite in support of Gazans since the start of the Israel-Hamas War. 

Around 60 Jewish students and community members gathered on Mudd Field for a Tisch commemorating the Israeli people killed and taken hostage during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, March 5. The event took place on the 150th day after the attacks.

Millet Ben Haim shared her story about hiding from Hamas at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7 and spoke out against antisemitism and in support of hope to a crowd of 150 community members, Feb 20. 

MeToo WashU, an advocacy Instagram account for survivors of sexual violence, has become a microcosm of the larger tensions on campus around Israel and Palestine following two posts published on its account, Nov. 29 and Dec. 11.