Sara el-Solh is a physician-anthropologist, researcher, and organiser who uses health as a lens to radically reimagine a just world. She works nationally and internationally on a range of issues, including racism, migration justice, and access to healthcare.

As we sit with the charity sector's deafening silence on Palestine, Sara El Sohl explores the long and radical history of student and youth-led movements for activism. This necessary history can serve as a bold and inspirational commentary on what people can do when they envision liberation. If young people in regressive institutions such as universities can be mobilised and organised in such a manner, then those of us in the charity sector must ask ourselves what is possible when we imagine things outside of our current systems, institutions, and organisations.

As the State of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza entered its 8th month, students across the globe rose up to demand an end to the killing and an end to their institutions' complicity in the subjugation of Palestinian people. The spark that ignited this latest wave of pro-Palestine mobilisation was the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia University. The encampment was established on 17 April 2024 when hundreds of protesters occupied the South lawn, calling Columbia to divest from investing and profiting from war. The growing circle of tents quickly became a hub for community and education, drawing students from across the university.

Within a day, the Columbia administration called on the New York Police Department to sweep the encampment and officers in riot gear arrested over 100 students. Despite these arrests and the aggression shown by the NYPD, the students remained undeterred. As one student put it, "Genocide is happening, and this is where we stand. We should divest and boycott." Over 100 faculty members joined the protests, facing down university administrators and the NYPD to defend their students.

On the evening of April 30th, in protest of the university’s refusal to meet student demands, dozens of protesters occupied Hamilton Hall, barricading doors and blocking entrances. This mobilisation demonstrated impressive organisation, with protestors locking the building down in less than five minutes.

Soon after this, Palestinian flags and banners that read “Gaza Calls, Columbia Falls” and “Hind’s Hall” were hung from the windows as students renamed the building in honour of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by the Israeli military in Gaza in January. Following the occupation of Hind’s Hall, hundreds of NYPD officers once again swarmed the campus after Columbia University president Minouche Shafik authorised the NYPD to “clear all individuals from Hamilton Hall and all campus encampments.” One hundred nine arrests were made, as the police also shoved protestors to the ground and down staircases and slammed them with barricades. By the morning of May 1st, all that was physically left of the Columbia Gaza Solidarity Encampment were square patches on the South Lawn where tents had been pitched. Still, the global movement it galvanised was only just getting started.

By early May, pro-Palestine student protests had reached all seven continents (yes, even Antarctica, where researchers at McMurdo station held a Palestinian flag accompanied by signs that read “fund science, not genocide” and “ceasefire”). Encampments have sprouted at campuses worldwide, from Mexico to Japan to Australia. The widespread nature of these protests, as well as their consistent messaging, highlight the growing strength of feelings around the world about Israel's war crimes and occupation. Students are not only calling for specific institutional actions such as divestment but also contributing to a global outcry against the violence of colonialism and white supremacy. The encampments are not merely symbolic; they represent a determined and organised effort to effect real change.

Indeed, student encampments for Palestine across the globe have been remarkable not only in their keen understanding of boycotts and divestment demands but also in their community-building and educational activities. These gatherings have often included public education programs, providing a platform for discussions on Palestinian history and the political situation in Gaza. At the University of Bristol, students set up communal supplies, including food, face masks, COVID-19 tests, and books on Palestinian history. Organisers also distributed flyers explaining protester rights and detailing the university’s ties to the arms trade and funding of organisations that profit from the suffering of Palestinians, demonstrating the demand for divestment.

Various activities were organised at the University of Toronto encampment to support the protestors and the broader community. This included providing food for campers and the nearby homeless community. Additionally, the encampment served as a hub for educational workshops where knowledge and solidarity were shared among protesters. These focused on the history of the occupation and strategies for solidarity and resistance, strengthening the sense of community while providing practical resources and knowledge to the protesters. These initiatives, prevalent across the entire encampment movement, highlight students' keen understanding of Palestine as a touchstone for multiple related injustices in today’s world and their knowledge of the broader social responsibility implicated in building a better world.

There is only one solution: Global revolution!

The rise of student encampments as the latest front in the struggle for Palestinian liberation is a powerful testament not just to the global commitment to a world free from the repressiveness of imperialism but also to the enduring legacy of student and youth activism around the world. These protests echo the historical role of student movements in championing social justice and demanding political change. Student activists have consistently been at the forefront of progressive global movements, from the civil rights sit-ins of 1960s USA to the anti-apartheid protests of 1980s South Africa to the 2011 “Chilean Winter” protests. Today's encampments are not isolated events but part of a larger commitment of student-driven efforts to confront injustice and advocate for the oppressed.

Student Resistance Against the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s.

One of the most iconic student movements was the Vietnam War protests in the United States during the 1960s and early 1970s. Much like today’s protests were characterised by mass demonstrations, sit-ins, and teach-ins, where students and faculty would discuss the moral and political implications of violence and colonialism. Universities became hotbeds of anti-war sentiment, with students organising marches, rallies, and the occupation of administrative buildings. The protests were influential in shaping public opinion against the war and pressuring the government to withdraw troops from Vietnam. Also, much like today, these efforts were widely and violently repressed. One tragic outcome of this was the Kent State massacre on May 4, 1970, where the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed students protesting the invasion of Cambodia, killing four and wounding nine others.

This brutal crackdown on student protesters shocked the world and intensified anti-war sentiment. The images of the massacre, particularly the photograph of a young woman kneeling over the body of one of the slain students, became symbolic of the cost of dissent and the lengths to which authorities would go to suppress it. The brutality faced by student protesters at Kent State echoes in today's pro-Palestine encampments, where police violence remains a reality. At many encampments, including those at prestigious institutions like the University of Toronto and Stanford University, students have reported instances of aggressive police tactics, including the use of pepper spray, tear gas, and physical force to disperse peaceful gatherings.

Another enduring example of university organising is the 1968 student protests that erupted across the globe, with one of the most significant being the May 1968 Paris protests. What began as a student occupation at the University of Paris quickly escalated into a nationwide movement, drawing in workers and intellectuals alike. The protests challenged the conservative government of Charles de Gaulle, demanding educational reforms, workers' rights, and broader social changes. Students set up barricades in the streets of Paris, and violent clashes with the police became common. The movement culminated in a general strike involving millions of workers, effectively paralysing the country. The protests left a lasting legacy on French society and have continued to inspire generations of activists.

Mexico: The Tlatelolco Massacre in 1968

The 1968 student movement in Mexico, culminating in the Tlatelolco massacre, was another stark example of the brutal suppression of student activism. Throughout 1968, Mexican students organised protests demanding democratic reforms, greater political freedoms, and an end to government repression. On October 2, just days before the Olympic Games in Mexico City, the government cracked down on a large student rally in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco. Soldiers and police opened fire on the crowd, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of students. The massacre was a violent attempt to silence dissent, but, as with the Kent State massacre, it also exposed the repressive nature of the Mexican government and sparked widespread condemnation.

South Africa: The Soweto Uprising in 1976

The Soweto Uprising in 1976 in South Africa was another pivotal moment in student activism. On June 16, thousands of black students took to the streets to protest the imposition of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in schools, a policy seen as a symbol of the broader system of apartheid. The peaceful protest quickly turned violent when police opened fire on the students, killing and injuring hundreds. The image of Hector Pieterson, a young boy shot by the police, being carried by a fellow student became an iconic symbol of the brutality of apartheid. The uprising galvanised international opposition to apartheid and highlighted the critical role of youth in the struggle for justice in South Africa.

The Lebanese Uprising in 2019

More recently, the 2019 Lebanese uprising saw students at the forefront of a movement demanding an end to corruption, economic mismanagement, and sectarianism. The protests began in October 2019 and were marked by the establishment of public forums and educational initiatives to foster political awareness and civic engagement. Students and young activists organised teach-ins and workshops in public spaces, transforming them into hubs of political education. These activities played a crucial role in maintaining the momentum of the protests and engaging a broader segment of the population in the movement for systemic change.

Mobilising for Justice

The student encampments for Palestine represent the latest chapter in a long history of youth-led movements that have challenged injustices and demanded transformative change. Like their predecessors, these encampments demonstrate student activism's remarkable power to raise awareness and catalyse broader social and political shifts. By drawing on the historical legacies of movements such as the Vietnam War protests, the Paris 1968 uprisings, the Soweto Uprising, and the Mexican student movement of 1968, today's pro-Palestine activists continue a proud tradition of mobilising for justice.

The Vietnam War protests underscored the ability of student movements to shift public opinion and influence government policy. Similarly, the 1968 global student uprisings, exemplified by the Paris protests and the Tlatelolco massacre in Mexico, highlighted how student activism could challenge entrenched systems of power and inspire broader societal change. The Soweto Uprising, led by courageous young students, played a pivotal role in the struggle against apartheid, demonstrating the impact of youth activism in confronting systemic racism and oppression. More recently, the 2019 Lebanese uprising showcased how students could drive political reform and economic justice movements, often incorporating educational initiatives to empower and inform the public.

In these movements, students have voiced their dissent and created spaces for education, community support, and solidarity. The current pro-Palestine encampments follow this model by offering public education programs, supporting vulnerable communities, and fostering a spirit of inclusivity and mutual aid. Despite facing significant police brutality and repression, these encampments continue to stand as beacons of resilience and determination. The parallels between past and present student movements underscore youth activism's enduring relevance and necessity. Today's students stand up for Palestinian rights and contribute to a global legacy of fighting for justice and human dignity. Their efforts remind us that student movements are not just about immediate demands but about envisioning and working towards a liberatory world.

The Role of the Charity Sector

The charity sector often exists in a contradictory place. Within our national borders, it claims to care about providing for the most vulnerable in our society, and through a global lens, international NGOs are often at the forefront of relief efforts brought on by natural disasters and militarism. However, the sector remains limited by its refusal to truly engage in a liberatory practice that explicitly names the machinery of imperialism and organises around its abolition. Much of this is presented as a fear of ‘being too political’ or avoiding “risk”.

What would happen if we organised in similar ways against imperialism in the charity sector? How can we challenge the sector's passivity by building community, engaging in educational transformation, sharing our resources and mobilising for justice? What is possible if we make calls for divestment? We in the charity sector know intimately the cost of militarism, devastation, and impoverishment. Our responsibility is to centre humanity and demand more for all those suffering under global imperialism.

The student movements above show us how we in the sector can reframe the concept of risk by focusing on our shared humanity beyond borders and time.

What the Charity Sector Can Learn From Student and Youth Movements: From Colombia to Palestine by Sara el-Solh