URBANA, Ill. (WAND) — Pro-Palestinian student groups walked out of class at the University of Illinois on Wednesday as part of a protest against Israel's war with Hamas.
The demonstration, coordinated by Act Now For Palestine, called for the university to divest from companies such as Boeing, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, acknowledge the loss of life in Palestine, and create a committee to address Arab and Muslim student affairs.
Dema Karim with Act Now for Palestine told WAND News that the group feels the calls for action are "extremely reasonable."
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Jaden Andrews, a Jewish UI student, said that he and his loved ones had safety concerns given the rise of antisemitism in the wake of the conflict in Gaza.
Pro-Palestinian protests have swept across the nation in recent months, especially in the northeast. In-person classes have been canceled at Columbia and the gates to Harvard Yard were closed to the public on Monday.
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