Students for Justice in Palestine strewed fake bloodied bodies and laid across the floor of the Ohio Union Wednesday afternoon, protesting “the lack of response from OSU administration.”
Over 50 students assembled outside of the Moritz College of Law before walking to the Ohio Union, where they laid down holding signs displaying the names and faces of Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war. Jineen Musa, a second-year in health information management and outreach director for SJP, called on the university to take action to demonstrate more care towards Palestinian students and civilians during the protest.
Musa said the group outlined four demands for the university: issue a comprehensive statement recognizing the killing of Palestinian children, take action to protect Palestinian students from bigoted attacks, cease educational programs to universities in occupied territories and divest and cut ties with Israeli corporations.
For the remainder of the protest, members of SJP took turns reading off the names of Palestinians who have been killed since the war began. According to the Associated Press, at least 13,300 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis have died since the initial Oct. 7 attack.
University spokesperson Ben Johnson said Ohio State is “focused on supporting all members of our community during this deeply troubling time.”
“We recognize that the war is affecting a wide range of individuals and groups across the university and community, and we remain committed to the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff,” Johnson said in an email. “In meetings with students, remarks to University Senate and the Board of Trustees, and several all campus email communications, university leaders have made clear that Ohio State will not tolerate violations of the law or university policy, including but not limited to antisemitism, bigotry, Islamophobia, racism, sexism and violence.”
