Discord at Harvard University continues as Israeli students say a rally held on campus called for more violence. This comes just one week after the university received backlash for not responding to the Hamas attacks in a timely manner.
Over 1,000 thousand people gathered for a rally on Saturday hosted by the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee and the Harvard Graduate Students 4 Palestine. Video obtained by NBC10 Boston shows the crowd standing on the Widener Library Steps chanting ‘Free Palestine!” However, there were other chants overheard by some students that caused concern.
“When you hear people saying ‘by any means necessary’ or that ‘it's not terrorism it's freedom fighting’ to me it strikes me as a justification of violence against civilians,” said Harvard Freshman Charlie Covit.
Ralliers addressed three main demands, asking Harvard to call on Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Ed Markley to call for a ceasefire, as well as disclose direct and indirect investment in companies complicit in genocide and human rights violations. They also called on university President Claudine Gay to condemn any anti-Palestinian rhetoric on campus.
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“To be clear, I’m against civilians dying whether they’re Israelis or Palestinians, but when I see my own peers and my friends calling for the deaths of Jews and Israelis, implicitly, it's very scary,” said Covit.
The Harvard College Palestine Solidarity Committee says they’re committed to a nonviolent effort to free Palestine and addressed the rally in a statement to NBC10 Boston saying in part, “ The specific speaker referenced did not reflect PSC's organizational values nor speak on our behalf. PSC remains staunchly opposed to violence against civilians, and in no way endorses any message or entity that condones, tacitly or explicitly, violence against civilians."
“I appreciate their attempts to distance themselves from those really hateful comments. I think it's worth noting though the comments on the steps were saying these were not terrorists these are freedom fighters, and that deserves immediate unequivocal condemnation,” said Harvard Junior Jacob Miller.
Harvard’s initial response to the Hamas attacks also led to the Wexner Foundation cutting financial ties with the school and its more than $2 million in annual support. The foundation issued a statement to NBC10 Boston saying part, “ We are stunned and sickened at the dismal failure of Harvard's leadership to take a clear and unequivocal stand.”
We reached out to Harvard University for comment and have not heard back.
