Students at the University of Texas at Dallas staged a several-hour protest on campus Tuesday, demanding that the campus president meet their demands.
UTD students were protesting the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza and demanding that the university divest from companies providing weapons for the war.
Here's what we know about UTD's student-led protests.
Why are UTD students protesting on campus?
According to UTD's student newspaper, The Mercury, on April 4th, the UTD student government passed a resolution calling on UTD to strip funding from five weapons manufacturing companies in opposition to militarism and in pursuit of corporate responsibility. It was approved.
These companies include Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and General Dynamics.
Third-year student Noor Saleh said the university should divest from weapons manufacturers.
“[They] “We make jets, missiles and bombs that are currently being used in Gaza,” he told The Dallas Morning News.
Students also held a sit-in in the hallway leading to the president's office until late Tuesday. The sit-in lasted about seven hours, The Mercury reported. Student organizers announced that UTD President Richard Benson has agreed to meet with them to discuss the concerns of the protesting students.
Protest at the University of Texas at Dallas
University of Texas at Dallas students protested the Israeli-Palestinian conflict last year
Many students at the University of Texas at Dallas have been protesting since the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began in the fall of 2023, and most of them were not in favor of the war.
On campus, students could see a “Spirit Stone” painted in the colors of the Palestinian flag and with the words “FREE PALESTINE” written on it.
UTD administrators were removing large stones from the campus.
Last semester, the university sent out a campus newsletter highlighting the stone removal and the reasons for it.
“When three large stones were placed near the University of Texas at Dallas Activity Center in 2008, the plan was to paint the stones in a way that would promote school activities and events and raise school spirit. “Students have used the rock to support homecoming, new student orientation, athletic activities, graduation, and more,” the university said.
“For several weeks, messages on the rock have been inconsistent with its original purpose and guidelines. After careful consideration, the stone has been removed. The Spirit Stone was intended as an exhibit for broader political discussion. Our best solution was to remove them because the painted messages were having a negative impact on people on and off campus.”
It is unclear when the university will return the stones.
