Student protestors gathered on Dexter Lawn Wednesday morning for a “die-in” demonstration in support of Palestinian students.
A “die-in” is a type of protest where participants lie on the ground and pretend to be dead for a designated period of time, according to an Instagram post by the Cal Poly Social Justice Coalition.
Anthropology and geography senior Kylee Zinenen attended the protest and participated in the die-in after finding out about it through social media.
“I’ve seen so many of the protests across the US and a lot of other universities and it’s clear that they’ve been effective,” Zinnen said. “It helps to show that there is a presence of people that care at Cal Poly and that we want to be a part of movements just like the other universities we’re seeing.”
Law enforcement arrived on scene shortly before the scheduled start time of 11 a.m. Of the 20 officers on campus, eight were from the Cal Poly Police Department (CPPD) while the rest were from local agencies, according to university spokesperson Matt Lazier. Some were physically at the event, while others remained on reserve if needed.
About a dozen counter-protestors assembled on the sidewalk through the duration of the protest, at one point bringing out an Israeli Flag.
Benjamin Broudy, a microbiology freshman, said he attended the die-in as a counterprotester to show support for Israel.
“I was upset that something like this was going to happen on the campus that I go to,” Broudy said.
Eman Castillo, a computer science freshman, felt inspired to participate in the die-in due to their own experiences before emigrating to the United States.
“I was actually displaced by cartel violence in my hometown in Mexico,” Castillo said. “The reason I participated in this protest was to show support with my Palestinian brothers and sisters because each one of our causes is intersectional.”
A psychology senior, who chose to be anonymous out of fear of retaliation, said they felt vulnerable while participating in the die-in.
“It’s also just so different when you’re not standing and able to look around and see what’s happening, just hearing people heckling and yelling aggressive things,” they said. “I was a little bit angry at the things I was hearing but I felt protected by the people around me.”
Many students and faculty members came to the event as spectators, including Greg Domber, a lecturer in the history department.
Domber heard about the protest through a message from the California Faculty Association (CFA), who postponed their event scheduled for today.
“I hope that it draws more students into an awareness of what’s happening in Gaza and in the region generally. I’m not sure if there’s a list of demands, a desire by the group organizing for change, but I would like to see more activity, more awareness on our campus,” Domber said.
Environmental management junior MJ felt compelled to participate in the protest as a Jewish student.
“I feel it is my responsibility as a person who lost family in the Holocaust to stop another one from happening,” they said. “We’re hoping that we can get groups of Jewish students on campus to come together and work for a free Palestine.”
Growing up in the Middle East inspired Joseph Paddock, an environmental engineering senior, to speak out on the cause.
“I had a lot of Palestinian friends, and so I felt like all of those words and friendships would have been for nothing if I didn’t show face and show that I stand with them,” Paddock said.