BOISE, Idaho — A group of students and community members participated in a pro-Palestinian rally in downtown Boise on May, 3. Following the protest, around fifty people then proceeded to set up an encampment near the state capitol to promote humanity, a cease-fire and support Palestine while protesting genocide, war and anti-Semitism.
“We’re here with the students who were intimidated out of protesting on their own campus and call for divestment from genocide by Boise state university," wrote Boise to Palestine in a statement.
The encampment was supposed to happen at Boise State University, however, after the school issued a statement implying there could be a heavy police presence, the group decided to move the protest to the state capitol.
Around thirty people camped overnight. In the early morning of May 4, police swept through the encampment and removed tents. Idaho State Police (ISP) Public Information Officer Aaron Snell said protesters are welcome in public spaces but must follow the camping rules.
"Early this morning, ISP advised protesters there was no camping/tents on the property. They returned an hour later and removed the tents. There were no confrontations and troopers advised protesters they were welcome to remain and express themselves. The group went from about 30+ to a dozen. Freedom of expression is important as is the camping law," Snell said.
ISP updated KTVB Saturday and said, as the day has progressed more people have joined the encampment.
The group of protestors told KTVB their lawyers have filed for a temporary injunction to stay on the site. A decision could come as early as tomorrow.
Many of the people at the encampment told KTVB why they were there.
"I’m here today with Boise to Palestine and other community members and groups to support Palestinians and try to make our voices heard and let our state reps know and our community know that we are not OK with the state of the world," said protester Theda Goldston. "We do not agree with our government using our tax dollars to bomb innocent civilians. We intend to take up a presence as long as possible, despite intimidation tactics by BPD and by the Idaho State Police so we are going to keep pushing here until we’re heard."
Two other women gave KTVB statements but wanted to redact their names because both have received threats from random people since vocalizing their support of a cease-fire.
"We are in complete empathy with the people of Palestine whose civilians are being slaughtered at an unprecedented rate. When you see the live coverage from Gaza you know that this is not a war against insurgence. This is an ethnic cleansing with 70% of all housing destroyed, all of the universities blown up, even fields of crops and all of orchards decimated. It is the targeting of civilians. We are here in solidarity with the people of Gaza. We are also in here in solidarity of all the students all around the world who are rising up and saying we don’t believe your narrative, we don’t want our money going to fund a massacre," said one woman.
Another woman, a child-care worker, said it has been heartbreaking for Palestinian families here.
"I want to stand in solidarity with the students of BSU as well as the people in Gaza experiencing this genocide. I, for the last six months, have during my lunch break been hearing kids cry in my classroom and the bathroom. The degree of suffering that children have had to experience in Gaza, in this moment, is absolutely mind shattering and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now then in solidarity with people against genocide everywhere and especially at such an aggressive pace," she said.
Across the world and nation, and other campuses, there have been protests over the way the treatment of Palestinian civilians by the Israeli Government.
According to the Associated Press (AP), following the attack on Israel by Hamas, the Palestinian death toll has grown and the people are now facing famine like conditions.
"The Israel-Hamas war has driven around 80% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million from their homes and caused vast destruction in several towns and cities. The death toll in Gaza has soared to more than 34,500 people, according to local health officials," the AP stated.
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