On May 1st, coinciding with the date of International Workers’ Day, protestors at Iowa State University demanded Iowa State to divest from its economic ties to companies that profit from Israeli war crimes.
The protest was largely made up of ISU students and Ames residents, though activists from other parts of Iowa were present as well. It was a peaceful protest, and there was an overwhelming display of pro-Palestinian sentiment; the organizers were able to bring a speaker from Gaza to tell of the horrific genocide currently taking place.
The target of the protest was to pressure Iowa State University to divest from its economic ties to Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of the arms manufacturer Raytheon, which rakes in billions of dollars every year manufacturing equipment and munitions for Israel.
A statement from Iowa Board of Regents senior communications director Josh Lehman said the regent universities hold no direct investments with Israel or companies working directly with Israel. Collins Aerospace, listed as an ISU affiliate by the university itself, opened an office in the Iowa State Research Park during 2018, supports a number of philanthropic causes related to the university, encourages employees to participate on advisory boards, and uses its connections with Iowa State to provide aerospace engineering graduates with job opportunities.
Collins Aerospace plays an important role in manufacturing the F-35 fighter jets that Israel uses to target Palestinian civilians. During massacres perpetrated by Israel in May 2021, Israel deployed 80 F-35 jets in its criminal operation, killing up to 192 civilians.
A statement from Iowa Board of Regents President Mike Richards goes as such: “The Board of Regents fully supports the people and State of Israel, and are steadfast in our solidarity with them.”
Students at the rally protested the unrelenting support of the US government for Israel’s campaign in Gaza, with chants directed against Joe Biden, calling him out for supporting a genocide (“Genocide Joe”). The views of the protestors echo the view of an increasing number of Americans that the American government is failing to provide for the needs of its people.
“All of our tax money is essentially going to a foreign entity,” a protestor says. “Governments overseas are using our tax dollars…while we are struggling to pay rent.”
Other protestors criticized American ultramilitarism and the country’s descent into fascism.
“We have occupations all over the planet, military bases in hundreds of countries that don’t want us there. It’s a colossal waste of US resources that we could be using to provide for our own people,” one says. “I believe this country is becoming increasingly fascistic.”
Though the pro-Palestinian protestors made an effort to tolerate the small presence of the pro-Israeli counter-protestors, the pro-Israeli zionists began to verbally harass the other side, provoking a police presence and ISU staff to lessen tensions. The counterprotesters waved the Israeli and American flag, denied that Israel was committing genocide, and physically threatened the protestors. They were a small presence, no more than twenty people, and predominantly made up of white, male college students.
More events are planned for Ames. The Iowa chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation regularly posts updates on their Instagram page (@psliowa), inviting the free students to show up and protest the occupation.
“High school students have a role to play,” a protestor says. “Education is important inside and outside of the classroom. Whatever subject you’re involved in…you can stand for justice within that field, and fight so that whatever you do, it does not align with the interests of genocide.
