Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine organized a protest and march to City Hall asking city officials to call for a ceasefire in Gaza
Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine organized a protest on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Protestors asked city officials to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine President Isleen Atallah was one of several people who spoke at Speakers Circle and in front of the Columbia City Hall. Community members showed up to voice their support for the cause and many held signs demanding a ceasefire.
Protestors in support of Palestine stand outside of the Daniel Boone City Building on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. There, many people gave speeches, including adjunct professor Rasha Abousalem, who said, “we should not have to protest and convince people that our lives are worth living […] I don’t think our representatives hear us, so how will they hear us? When we vote them out.”A group of protestors hold signs at a protest organized by Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine. Many of the signs call upon officials to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza. A protestor pulls their painted hand from a cloth leaving a red handprint behind. The cloth was brought by leaders with Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine and reads “our tax dollars,” with red paint symbolizing blood, according to Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine President Isleen Atallah. Six-year-old Malik Badran marches through downtown Columbia holding a paper flag of Palestine. Badran’s mother said that he drew the flag himself. Jeff Stack, coordinator of the Mid-Missouri Fellowship of Reconciliation chapter, raises his fist in support of the protest towards the crowd of protestors at the Columbia City Hall. “I want to be a part of trying to cause some change, a progressive and passionate change,” said Stack. Protestors march back towards Speakers Circle after walking to city hall. “We hope that our voices are heard,” said Isleen Atallah, MU junior and President of Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine. “We hope that if not our representatives, at least our community members and the students at Mizzou feel for the Palestinians and understand why our support is needed, especially in times like this, and hopefully it’s a push for peace within our borders and outside.” A group of protestors in support of Palestine march to meet up with another group of protestors at Speakers Circle. As they made their way to Speakers Circle, they chanted “Palestine fights for peace,” and “Free, free Palestine.”MU junior Ian De Smet (center) marches towards City Hall with other protesters. “[Being here today] means showing basic human solidarity,” De Smet said, “It means showing empathy.”
The Maneater aims to portray the Israel-Palestine conflict holistically by emphasizing student response through our coverage. As a newsroom, we strive to platform student voices and emphasize the impact of this international conflict on our campus. To do so, The Maneater maintains editorial discretion over the selection of text, photographs and the distribution of published content to ensure the conflict most prominently emphasizes the student voice.
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