Pro-Palestinian students protest at Washburn University a day after Kobach denouncement

About 40 Washburn University students protested the Israeli-Hamas War on Friday after colleges and universities across the nation have broken out in protests.

Protest organizer Rene Cabrera said the protest is in solidarity with the Palestinian people, other student organizers across the country. Cabrera said they are asking Washburn to be transparent in its funding and whether there's any support for the Israeli state.

"Transparency right now is not where it's supposed to be," Cabrera said. "We know that we're not like other institutions that have these major endowments, but we do know that Washburn isn't transparent enough with its funds."

The protest was on the northeast corner of campus near the intersection of S.W. 17th and Washburn Avenue.

Several passers-by honked their horns or raised their fists in support, while others heckled the protesters. At the start of the event, an individual shouted insults at the protesters as they chanted, "Palestine will be free."

Later, an individual pointed a Nerf gun from a car window at them.

One Israeli supporter stood near the prostesters.

"I'm a demonstrator, not a protestor," said Cansas Ezra Boyd, a Washburn University student. "After I saw terrorist supporters, I said I'm going to go ahead and get my Israel flag. I'm going to come out here all by myself and I'm going to demonstrate."

What does protest organizer say about Kris Kobach's comments?

Cabrera said he has heard some criticism from individuals online and from state officials.

"We've been made aware that (Attorney General) Kris Kobach is watching us," Cabrera said. "That's about it. We don't see anyone visibly here that feels confident enough to counter protest."

The day prior Kobach denounced the protests at the University of Kansas, calling them anti-Semitic and illegal. Kansas prohibits contracts between the state and entities that engage in a boycott or divestment from the Israeli government or Israeli companies in protest.

"The University of Kansas has many hallowed traditions, but siding with bloodthirsty, anti-Semitic terrorists is not one of them," Kobach said. "I encourage you to enforce all applicable University rules and regulations so that the educational mission of the University is not disrupted. The taxpayers of Kansas expect and deserve the very best from KU."

Protesters rejected Kobach's characterization of the protests as anti-Semitic and said they're protesting the actions of the Israeli government and not the Jewish people.

"We stand against anti-Semitism in all of its forms. We condemn anti-Semitism in all of its forms," said Chloe Chaffin, a senior at Washburn. "What we are out here doing is saying that we need to end this. And what we are focusing on is Israeli legal occupying forces.

"And what is happening right now in Palestine, that has nothing to do with the Jewish people at home, it has everything to do with (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu."

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly pointed to the right to protest, while maintaining they should remain nonviolent and not disrupt certain school functions.

"It's a tradition in the United States to allow for freedom of speech and expression of opinion as long as they stay nonviolent and not disruptive to the organization's plans for graduations," Kelly said.

Students say they have been sympathetic to Palestine for months

Though the protest Friday was the first at Washburn, some groups have been sympathetic to Palestine since the war broke. Sierra Jeter, a senior at Washburn University, said the group had plans to organize a protest last semester to stop the silence in the community.

“We were sick of the silence, sick of all that coming from Washburn and so after we saw fellow students across the United States and the globe also protest, camp and things of that sort we wanted to choose solidarity but also demand financial transparency from the university,” Jeter said. “To make sure that we know our money is not going to the wrong thing and their investing into the wrong thing. That now is the great time.”

The Israeli-Hamas war is the fifth and deadliest war between Israeli and the militant group Hamas. More than 34,000 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis have been killed after Israeli launched attacks into Gaza in response to Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks.

Lori Hutchinson, executive director of strategic communications and marketing at Washburn, said Washburn is committed to the academic and personal growth of its students in a premier campus learning environment.

"That includes the right to free expression and peaceful protest," Hutchinson said. "Opportunities for open, respectful dialogue play an important role in the college experience and beyond, and we support the right to free expression."

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Washburn students protest war in Gaza and call for university action