Monday marks one year since the Hamas-led attack on Israel, in which Hamas killed more than 1,200 people. Over the past year, Israel has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians.
Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli students on Maryland college campuses plan to commemorate the anniversary with a week of protests, vigils, and other events.
University System of Maryland officials in September restricted campus demonstrations on Oct. 7 except for university-sponsored events.
The University of Maryland, College Park barred students from holding their own Oct. 7 demonstrations and University President Darryl Pines encouraged them to “mark the anniversary of Oct. 7 with remembrance and reflection” through university-sponsored events, reported the student-run news publication The Diamondback.
The university’s chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) were set to host a vigil for Palestinians who have been killed.
The SJP chapter sued the university, Pines, and the University System of Maryland Board of Regents for restricting students’ Oct. 7 events. The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Maryland, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University filed amicus briefs in support of the lawsuit.
U.S. District Court of Maryland Judge Peter Messitte last week ruled student groups at the university could hold demonstrations on Oct. 7. The decision does not apply to other institutions in the University System of Maryland.
Leading up to Oct. 7, Towson University reiterated its policy for protests and demonstrations.
Johns Hopkins University
The Hopkins Justice Collective plans to hold a silent study-in on Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. at Johns Hopkins University’s Mudd Hall.
The group plans to “publicly stand with Palestine in University spaces, wear keffiyehs and brandish political signage, and non-disruptively congregate in University study spaces,” Hopkins Justice Collective posted on Instagram.
At 2 p.m., the group plans to march to the Blue Jay Statue, followed by a vigil for Palestinian and Lebanese people.
University of Maryland, College Park
On Oct. 7, UMD Hillel will hold a “Hostages Square Memorial” from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; a reading of Oct. 7 victims’ names from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; a space for reflection and art from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and a vigil at 8 p.m.
The university’s SJP and JVP chapters will hold speeches, teach-ins, and art events throughout the day Oct. 7. A vigil will take place at 6 p.m.
Those groups will continue events throughout the week, including a screening of the film “Holy Redemption” on Oct. 8; a teach-in led by SJP and USAS Labor and Apartheid on Oct. 9; a screening of the film “5 Broken Cameras” on Oct. 10; and a bake sale for Gaza on Oct. 11.
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Starting at 12 p.m. Oct. 7, UMBC’s SJP chapter will gather at Erikson Field to recite the names of people killed in the violence. Then at 6:30 p.m., there will be a group prayer and Dua.
The chapter will continue events throughout the week, including a screening of the film “Where the Olive Trees Weep” on Oct. 8; a bake sale for Gaza on Oct. 9; and chalk writing for Palestine on Oct. 10.
UMBC Hillel will host a commemoration and de-stress event from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 7.
Towson University
Towson Hillel will hold a commemorative ceremony and mourner’s kaddish at 11 a.m. Oct. 7. Then, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., they will offer processing space, community service projects, recipes in honor of hostages, and other activities. They will also join an Oct. 7 community commemoration at Beth El Congregation in Pikesville from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
On Oct. 8 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., members of various Towson University student groups plan to hold a rally and vigil at Freedom Square in the center of campus.
