SUNY New Paltz students join other Israel-Hamas war protests around the state

SUNY New Paltz students joined other protests around the state over the Israel-Hamas war Wednesday afternoon.

The encampment launched around 1 p.m. on Parker Quad on the SUNY New Paltz campus. More than 100 students gathered to pitch tents and paint signs. They also led training in first aid and media contact. About a dozen faculty members also attended to show their support.

This is the fourth demonstration the school has had on campus since Oct. 7.

In an Instagram post published Wednesday afternoon, New Paltz Students for Palestine asked the college administration to disclose what companies they invest in, and "end all financial relationships with companies responsible for genocide in Palestine." They also asked New Paltz administration to "drop all academic sanctions placed on students as a result of their participation in the encampment."

"We're here for Palestine," said Rae, a student who declined to be further identified. "We'll be here until our demands are met."

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, SUNY New Paltz administration had not responded to a request for comment.

The New Paltz encampment was the latest in a series of protests on college campuses around the state and across the nation, highlighted by one at Columbia University that is now in its second week. Students at Vassar College began an encampment on campus Tuesday, and students at Cornell's Ithaca campus protested over the weekend.

At the University of Rochester on Tuesday, more than a dozen students gathered at an encampment protesting Israel's invasion of Gaza and calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. An encampment was also set up on Syracuse University's campus.

Reporter Mike Randall contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: SUNY New Paltz students join protests of Israel-Hamas war