At noon, a group of protesters made up of USC Students for Justice in Palestine, USC Palestine Justice Faculty Group, USC Student Coalition Against Labor Exploitation and USC Divest from Death — advocacy groups not affiliated with the University — gathered in front of North Trousdale entrance for about two hours for the “international student strike.” The protesters marched in a circle in front of the entrance, chanting for the duration of the protest. 

The North Trousdale entrance remained open for the entirety of the protest, and a group of about 10 Department of Public Safety officers stood behind the gates, watching the protest. This is the first demonstration of the year that has not resulted in an entrance being closed. 

The protest included chants of “Carol, Carol, you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide,” and “Israel bombs, USC pays.” A media liaison for USC SJP who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation, citing other student protesters suspensions, said that as much as they’d love to celebrate President Carol Folt’s impending retirement, they don’t believe any real change will be made. 

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“Carol is only the face of the administration,” the media liaison said. “Though Carol is leaving, the leadership at this university largely remains the same, and it’s this leadership that has decided to sic DPS and LAPD on students.”

Earlier in the week, on Monday, the University announced that the Trojan Knights and the Helenes were not allowed to stay overnight on campus to participate in USC traditions during Conquest Week without citing a specific policy. Tuesday, the University walked back the decision, citing the organization’s “legacy of support for USC.” 

The media liaison said the decision to make an exception for only these two student organizations after pro-Palestine encampments in the spring were met with the Los Angeles Police Department.

“It shows USC’s repression of students last semester wasn’t content-neutral,” the media liaison said. “They need to treat everything the same, and they have just shown that the way they repressed students last semester was not content-neutral whatsoever. And clearly, it’s because we are demanding divestment, and we were calling for free Palestine.”

The protesters took a moment to sit in the shade and rest; during this time, they handed out water bottles and food that they had brought. 

“It’s been over one year, we’ll continue to struggle, we’ll continue to fight, but truly we wish that we didn’t have to do this one year later,” the media liaison said. “After millions of people have been displaced, millions are starving right now in Palestine, millions of Palestinians are just facing the most inhumane conditions on this planet. We want justice, we want peace.”