Texas Tech University student organizations hold protests to support Gaza ceasefire

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - A Muslim student organization at Texas Tech is joining thousands across the nation in protest of the war in Gaza, which followed The Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

The non-violent demonstration began on campus Friday morning and lasted through the afternoon.

The Texas Tech student organizations said they have three main goals: divestment, a ceasefire in Gaza and to stand in solidarity with protestors across the nation who’ve been detained and harmed.

Texas Tech University’s Muslim Student Association and Students for Justice in Palestine created a ‘liberation zone’ to call for change in Gaza.

“To think that we are 200 days into a genocide, it hurts our hearts; so we really want to come out here and advocate with them,” Texas Tech student Anum Javeed said.

Many college students have gathered at universities across the nation in protest. Groups calling for peace in Palestine, while others calling for Israeli hostages to be released.

Some protests have been violent, but these organizations on Texas Tech campus felt strongly about doing it the right way.

“Collectively as Red Raiders we are able to exercise these first amendment rights properly, make that statement as well as come out in support of those students who were treated unjustly,” Javeed said.

Texas Tech sophomore Anum Javeed says they are calling for Texas Tech to make sure it’s not invested financially in support of the war.

Some of these demonstrations calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, and justice for students detained in protests turned violent across the country.

“It implies that students were seeking out this clash with local law enforcement, when in reality that is not what students are wanting. We are wanting to express our freedom of speech in a proper way and that’s what a lot of these students were doing at these protests,” Javeed said.

The organizers had conversations with Texas Tech University administration, campus police, and city police ahead of the protest and put strict restrictions on demonstrators.

“We really just want to show that it can be done properly, and you can understand the cause and it can be done in a proper manner.”

The organization recently held a protest after a Texas Tech professor was suspended for what administrators called antisemitic posts on social media.

Anum credits their protests for getting the professor reinstated and says using your voice is important.

“There is something beautiful about being able to use your voice, and living in a country that allows that is not something to take for granted.”

The demonstrators staged peaceful sit-ins in multiple buildings across the campus were able to protest without incident.

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