Students from Emerson College and Suffolk University walked out of class on Jan. 25 to protest and call for a permanent and immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Organized by Emerson Students For Justice in Palestine (SJP), the walk-out was in response to an Instagram post by Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda on Jan. 17 that called for a global strike from Jan. 21 to 28. SJP groups from colleges across the Boston area responded to the call with various walk-outs, protests, and rallies across the city. 

The walk-out began with a couple dozen Emerson students before growing to include a separate group of protestors from Suffolk University. Around 1:50 p.m. the group marched into the intersection at Boylston and Tremont Street, slowing traffic and bringing Tremont Street to a halt. The group did briefly separate to allow a Boston EMS vehicle to pass through. Around 2:20 p.m., the crowd left and marched towards the State House, dispersing shortly after. Along with their calls for a ceasefire, they demanded that Emerson College condemn Israel in its entirety, and that the U.S. government end all aid and funding to Israel immediately.

*Editors Note – To best protect the anonymity of students, The Berkeley Beacon has intentionally blurred all faces from the following images. As our campus’ student newspaper, The Berkeley Beacon is dedicated to upholding the best interests, safety, and trust of the student body.