On the last day of classes, the Coalition for Mutual Liberation led a rally and die-in for Palestine. Protesters blocked the entrances to Okenshields Dining Hall and Mann Library on Monday morning, leading to Cornell University Police Department officers threatening arrests, according to a CML press release.
CML is a pro-Palestine coalition of over 40 organizations from within Cornell and the surrounding community.
According to a representative of CML, this protest marked the fifth major CML Palestine protest this school year. Prior CML-led protests include the Day Hall vandalization, the career fair shutdown, a rally for suspended international graduate student Momodou Taal and the Board of Trustees walkout.
By 11:45 a.m., chants of “free Palestine” rose from the crowd of approximately 30 protesters gathered in the rain at Ho Plaza. A group of University officials from the Dean’s Office monitored the activity along with approximately four members of CUPD.
A banner reading “Gaza is Starving” was held before the exterior steps of Willard Straight. Two members of CML, whose faces were concealed with scarves and masks, gave introductory statements, the first emphasizing the education crisis in Gaza.
“Here at Cornell, it’s our last day of class for the semester,” the speaker said. “But students in Gaza experienced their last day of class more than a year ago, not knowing they might never return.”
Danny, who asked to be referred to only by his first name over privacy concerns, led many of the chants and offered the second opening address about famine in Gaza, concluding, “We want people trying to enter this dining hall to be reminded of what is happening.”
The protesters entered Willard Straight Hall and laid down in front of the Memorial Room, which blocked the entrance to Okenshields.
“While you’re eating, kids are bleeding,” the protesters chanted while exposing red-painted hands.
After several minutes, CUPD — who appeared to be coordinating with the University officials — directed the protesters to get up off the floor and exit the building, threatening arrests according to the CML press release.
The protesters proceeded from Willard Straight up Tower Rd. reciting chants including, “viva, viva Palestina” followed by “Any person, any study, Cornell trustees’ hands are bloody.”
The group entered the Ag Quad with a new banner that read: “There are no universities left in Gaza.”
Demonstrators entered Mann Library still chanting and laid down in front of the library entrance in silence for seven minutes and nine seconds. According to the CML press release, the moment of silence represented “one second for every day of the genocide.” During the silence, many protesters once again exposed their red-painted hands or placed a book stamped with red handprints on their chests. Individuals leaving the library were ushered around the protest by CUPD.
At the CML Die-in in Mann Library on Dec. 9, a protestor raises their red-painted hands. (Ming DeMers/Sun Photography Editor)
After the moment of silence, the protesters began chanting “free Palestine” as they left the building, leaving the stamped books on the ground and remnants of red paint smeared on the door handles. At 12:25 p.m., the protesters dispersed in the Ag Quad.
After the protest disseminated, Danny spoke with the Sun expressing his frustration with the University.
“F*ck you. Divest. Feel shame for the violence you are complicit in,” Danny said as a message to the University.
According to the CML press release, shortly after the protest ended, members from the CUPD and Cornell administration pursued a group of three female protesters into other buildings. They were allegedly “chased into a restroom by cops” and a “member of the administration entered the bathroom,” according to the press release.
Senior Media Relations Specialist Becka Bowyer did not respond to a request for comment when asked by The Sun about the university’s official stance on protests related to international issues like Palestine, Cornell’s response to the protest and the alleged restroom incident.
Cereese Qusba ’27 is a Sun contributor and can be reached at [email protected].