KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Students gathered at the University of Tennessee Friday night for the third night of demonstrations after nine people were arrested during a peaceful demonstration in support of Palestine. It ended peacefully without any arrests.
The night began with music and dancing. A drum pounded at the start of the event and protestors broke out in a circle of Dabke dancing. While Palestinian flags flew and discussions centered around the Israel-Gaza Crisis, organizers and participants said the gathering was not only about Gaza.
"This has been all day — a study section, art and music, I think, with some information about the war in Gaza and asking for them to stop the war in Gaza. But actually, this is not the main reason I'm here. I'm here for to protect the free speech to the students, and be with them," said Yassin Terou, the owner of Yassin's Falafel House who participated in the event. "That way, I can protect mine and I will protect my kids', and the next generation. I think if we don't stand up together to protect our rights, we're all going to lose it."
Later, the crowd began to chant and give speeches about the previous demonstration and plans in case they were arrested at this one.
On Thursday, a total of nine people were arrested during a demonstration on the lawn near the College of Law. No violence was reported at the protest, nor during the arrests. Seven of the people who were arrested were students, and two were not affiliated with the university. During that demonstration and during a vigil on Wednesday, they called for UT to divest from Israel and cancel its study abroad program in Israel.
The arrested students now face disciplinary action before a student conduct board. The two non-students were charged with trespassing, a Class C misdemeanor. The maximum sentence for a Class C misdemeanor is 30 days in prison.
"We're here for, one, because we believe in our First Amendment rights to speak and express ourselves. Two, because we don't like the way the United States is spending our tax money," said one organizer during the event. "The 'Knoxville Nine' has now turned into the 'Knoxville 30.'"
By 10 p.m. Vice Chancellor Frank Cuevas told demonstrators to leave the property. Organizers told participants to move to the sidewalk and they started walking off the lawn. The full statement read to the group on a megaphone is available below.
"You are conducting an unauthorized event on university property. Earlier today, university staff asked you to move your event to the sidewalk.
On several occasions, university staff have informed representatives of your group about the process through which you may obtain the status of a registered student organization. Obtaining registered student organization status is a free and simple process. The university has over 500 registered student organizations. The status of registered student organization would provide you access to several benefits and resources, including the privilege of requesting university space to conduct your event. For unknown reasons, you have chosen not to take advantage of the opportunity to become a registered student organization.
We have been following a tiered response the past several days with respect to your conduct. This is your final administrative warning for today. Starting now, and for the remainder of the day and into tomorrow, law enforcement will be responding to your conduct and enforcing all applicable laws.
I am reminding you again that camping is prohibited on university property. Camping on state property is a Class E felony and carries a possible sentence of 1 to 6 years in prison and fines up to $3,000."
While reading the message, some people asked for interpreters for students who may be deaf, and some members of the crowd yelled that they could not hear him. Throughout the demonstration, organizers said participants were guests invited to the university.
Before Cuevas read the message, organizers also said they did not bring chairs or any materials used to camp — saying they did not intend to camp out. Organizers also said they planned to stay and demonstrate for two hours on Saturday, and three hours on Sunday, and "would consider it a win" if authorities did not arrive before 11 p.m.
No arrests were made as of 11 p.m. At around 11:05 p.m., the crowd of at least 50 people began to walk away from the lawn and down the sidewalk while chanting. After walking away from near the Cumberland Avenue Strip, the group began Dakbe dancing similarly to how the demonstration began.
"We go home on our terms. We don't care what anybody else thinks about us. We care about our values and our principles that we uphold," said organizers.
They urged people not to walk home alone and to return home safely. The demonstration then ended.
"After learning from the American community who we are, and what freedom we have in the land of freedom, I'm going to make sure we leave this world in a better way for the next generation," said Terou. "We have a lot of people who are homeless in our community, mental issues, we can invest the money we send back to Israel, with millions to people really in need — the American citizen."
The demonstration comes after protests, some violent, broke out at college campuses across the U.S. leading to police arresting more than 2,300 people nationwide.
"I'm going to be here every night. And, I'm not here only for protecting the students. I want to make sure nobody gets hurt. I love this community, I hope this community loves me, and I want to be the middle people who makes sure nobody gets hurt, on both sides — even damage to UT," said Terou.
This story will be updated Friday night as the demonstration continues.
Background on the Israel-Gaza Crisis
More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. Israeli officials said around 1,200 people died in the Oct. 7 Hamas-led raid in Southern Israel, and some 570 Israeli soldiers have reportedly been killed since.
The ongoing Israeli offensive has also been internationally condemned, and the International Court of Justice called for Israel to prevent death and destruction after South Africa filed allegations that the country committed genocide in Gaza.
Across the U.S., protests at college campuses have also flared to show support for Palestine. At several schools nationally, police and National Guard members were called to force the demonstrations to an end.
The Oct. 7 bombing followed decades of tension, during which time the Human Rights Watch said Gazans lived in an "open-air prison." Most of the tension centers around Palestine and Gaza, an area that was divided as part of the "Nakba" — a period of displacements in the region following World War II as Israel was created.
"It remains a deeply traumatic event in their collective memory and continues to shape their struggle for justice and for their right to return to their homes," the UN said about the Nakba.
Hamas was elected to power during the mid-2000s. The United Nations said in 2019 more than half of all people in Gaza were under 18 years old, indicating they were not able to vote for Hamas when Israel declared war.
The group launched the attack on the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War — causing an initial death toll that was unseen since the 1973 war between Israel, Egypt and Syria. The day after the Oct. 7 bombing, Israel declared war against Hamas and started bombarding Gaza.
The Gaza Strip was home to millions of people. The UN said more than 70% of all housing units have been destroyed, and around 80% have been destroyed in the northern area. The UN said the entire Gazan population is facing a "severe food crisis," escalating the risk of famine and especially impacting vulnerable groups. A UN Special Rapporteur for food also said Israel "has mounted a starvation campaign."
It also said on April 30 that the region's health system was in jeopardy. Only five hospitals in northern Gaza were partially functional, and only six were operational in the southern part of the region.
It said around 86% of schools were damaged, and 72% would need at least major rehabilitation work. It also said around 1.7 million people were displaced across the Gaza Strip, with families having to move multiple times in search of safety.
Around 200 days since the start of the crisis, violence continued flaring across the region.
The UN also said Israeli settler violence was prevalent, and over two days there were 18 incidents involving Israeli settlers. It said armed settlers held Palestinian farmers at gunpoint, seized crops, and assaulted shepherds. In the Jordan Valley, the UN also said settlers entered and tore down Palestinian tents.
Since Oct. 7, Israel has cut off much access to food, water, medicine and electricity in Gaza.
The Pentagon said Monday that U.S. Army vessels and a U.S. Navy ship were part of an effort to build a floating platform to distribute aid to the Gaza Strip. The Pentagon said the effort would cost around $320 million, and a U.S. military official also said the American Army engineering unit teamed with an Israeli Defense Force engineering unit recently to practice installing parts of the platform, according to the Associated Press.
Aid has been slow to get into Gaza, with backups of trucks waiting for Israeli inspections. The U.S. and other nations used air drops to send food into Gaza, and aid organizations said several hundred trucks of resources are needed per day to fully help the region.