Occidental Students Reignite Fight Against College’s Genocidal Investments

Students at Occidental College are back in the quad, reigniting their Palestine solidarity encampment to pressure the administration to divest from what they call “genocide investments.” This revival comes just ahead of the board of trustees’ scheduled semi-annual meeting, a strategic move to confront the decision-makers directly.

Dubbed the “Rafah to Jenin Liberated Zone,” the encampment is a clear signal that Occidental’s student activists remain undeterred. One anonymous participant told Knock LA, “We’re here continuing to show that there is a strong community on this campus that demands that this institution divest from genocide.” Their demands go beyond Israel, targeting investments in ICE detention centers, private prisons, and the military-industrial complex.

The students’ activism is rooted in a history of campus protest. Last year, a hunger strike in solidarity with Palestinians suffering under an Israeli blockade drew national attention. That protest was met with violent repression by campus security during the inauguration of Occidental’s new president, Tom Stritikus, leading to injuries and the suspension of two students for exercising free speech.

Despite repeated calls, the board of trustees has doubled down on investments in companies linked to genocide and repression. Students insist this must end. “The board of trustees makes all of our decisions at our university, including the investments of our university’s endowment,” one student explained. “Time and time again — every single time the board of trustees have met — they have redoubled their investments in genocidal companies, in ICE detention centers, in the private prison industry, and the military industrial complex.”

The stakes are global. Students link their fight to broader struggles against Israeli and U.S. military aggression, including recent devastating attacks in Iran and ongoing violence in Gaza. They see their campus fight as part of a larger movement confronting systemic oppression worldwide.

In a last-minute move, the board shifted their meeting to Zoom, avoiding an in-person confrontation with protesting students. This tactic only underscores the urgency and necessity of sustained campus pressure.

Occidental students are clear: they will not stop until their institution divests from violence and stands in genuine solidarity with oppressed peoples. Their encampment is more than a protest — it’s a declaration that the college belongs to the people, not to profiteers of genocide.