'You support genocide': Clemson University students hold protest against stance on Israel

At least 40 demonstrators, mostly Clemson University students, sat outside of Sikes Hall on Saturday to demand the university disclose its investments in Israel and stance on the latest Israel-Hamas war.

The protesters shouted rally cries like “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” or “Resistance justified when people are occupied.”  Police barred the use of drums and megaphones, but protesters were allowed to clap along.

Organized by Clemson University student Abigail Friedman, who will be graduating in the coming days, the protesters included some non-students coming to declare their support for Palestinians.

Friedman, a Jewish student, said the protests will continue after Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. until they are able to reach an agreement with the university. Friedman said she organized the protest because she does not "support the mass slaughter of an entire ethnic group."

Friedman and other protesters plan to pursue several goals, including demanding Clemson University disclose any investments it might have in Israel and, if there are any, to divest from them. They also urge the university to pressure South Carolina’s government to stop sending funds to the Israeli government.

In 2014, Clemson University President Jim Clements signed off on a statement as board chair-elect of the  Association of Public and Land-grant Universities opposing calls for boycotts on Israeli academic institutions. APLU is a membership organization that "that fosters a community of university leaders collectively working to advance the mission of public research universities," according to its website.

“Members of the academic community certainly have the right to express their views, but the call for a boycott in this case is severely misguided and wrongheaded. We urge others to express their opposition as well," the statement read.

Since then, neither the university nor Clements has publicly expressed views on the current Israel-Hamas war.

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As motorists drove by protesters on the busy Calhoun Street where Sikes Hall sits, some rolled their windows down to shout profanities.

The shouts did not deter protesters, however, who would often smile and wave back.

"Ceasefire now!" echoed outside from the attendees' chants.

Just across the street, a counter-protest was led by Pastor Mark Burns, a Republican candidate for South Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District. The district encompasses Clemson University.

Burns said the purpose of the counter-protest was to remind residents that the district is an “Israel-loving community, not an Israel-hating community.”

Before Burns arrived, Clemson University Police asked a smaller group to move from across the street of Sikes Hall to one of the designated free speech zones on campus, according to Hayden Laye, leader and organizer of a separate counter-protest from Burns. Laye says he came out to show support for Israel, and he and his group later merged with Burns'.

“Mark Burns, you can’t hide, you support genocide!,” the Palestinian supporters yelled.

“Donald Trump won’t save you!” they chanted later, referring to the former president’s endorsement of Burns.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, (R-SC), who represents the third district and is not seeking re-election, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he calls for Clemson University President James Clements to “call in law enforcement at the first sign of aggression to protect Jewish students on campus.”

“I don’t want to see my alma mater turned into the chaos we have seen at Columbia or UCLA,” Duncan wrote.

Clemson University officials did not respond to the Greenville News request for comment.

It’s a scene widespread across universities in the nation. Thousands have been arrested at universities within the last several weeks, USA Today reported. Students across the nation and Clemson students have similar demands − divesting from investments for the Israeli government and putting pressure on the U.S. government to not send funds to Israel.

Though conflict between Israel and Palestinians has existed for years, violence came to a head on Oct. 7 when the militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel’s military and border towns that killed 1,200 people. Israel responded with airstrikes, which continued into 2024.

In January, the International Court of Justice found it was “plausible” that Israel violated the Genocide Convention. In May, Cindy McCain, director of the World Food Program, said northern Gaza was experiencing a famine.

While protesters on both sides clashed at multiple universities, protesters did not closely interact at Clemson University. The closest interaction between the opposing sides was when Burns’ bus passed by the Palestinian supporters, honking at them and declaring, “We stand with Israel.”

Both sides said their goal was to hold a peaceful protest.

Savannah Moss covers Greenville County politics and growth/development. Reach her at smoss@gannett.com or follow her on X @Savmoss.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: 'You support genocide': Clemson University students hold protest against stance on Israel