Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated in front of Minnesota Hillel, a University of Minnesota Jewish cultural center, following UMN Divest Coalition’s “One year of Genocide” walkout on Monday, Oct. 7, according to Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officer Lieutenant Marcus Brenner.
Minnesota Hillel planned on hosting events on Monday to commemorate the Oct. 7 attack and mourn the loss of Israeli lives with events leading up to a memorial service and dinner, according to its website.
Minnesota Hillel released a statement on their Instagram page thanking law enforcement for their quick action and stating they were able to continue their ceremony “without significant interruption.”
The last slide on the post reads “Hillel’s doors will remain open every day for all Jewish students. We’re here for you!”
Lieutenant Brenner said MPD was called to Hillel because of the Oct. 7 anniversary walkout.
“We were just here to make sure that the protests were not violent,” Brenner said.
The 10-20 pro-Palestinian protesters present identified themselves as former students when asked if they attended the University, according to Brenner.
A first-year student at the University, who asked to remain anonymous in fear of retaliation, had attended the morning events and was preparing to attend a vigil for Hillel members’ Israeli family members, friends and loved ones killed on Oct. 7 when she received text messages from a friend warning her not to come at around 6:20 p.m. Monday.
The friend told her there were protesters outside of Hillel waving flags, and the memorial event attendees were told to remain in the basement until it was safe to leave the building.
“I feel like a lot of kids are taking the brunt of a much longer global conflict, and they are being targeted because of their identity, whether or not they could change a global issue,” the student said.
This being her first semester on campus, the student said she feels this event will impact her feelings of safety at the University moving forward.
She said it is upsetting that a community that is supposed to be a safe space for students is getting targeted. She added especially when it feels like Jewish students are being unfairly targeted.
“I just feel like people need to take a step back and remember that yes, it’s important to do your part in standing up for things that you believe in, but it is not fair to hold random teenagers accountable for actions that they can’t control,” she said. “That goes to both sides.”
MPD monitored to make sure protesters did not cross onto Hillel’s property, according to Brenner. The protesters did not cross onto the property and dispersed without being asked.