US Students Re-Establish Encampments to Reject Genocide

Los Angeles, MINA – Two years after the solidarity movement for Palestine first echoed across Western campuses, the spirit of student activism remains unbroken. Students are fully committed to reminding universities that divestment from genocide remains a firm demand that will never fade.

Student encampments that began emerging in the spring semester of 2024 have now spread to more than 200 campuses worldwide. The movement has ignited a major shift in student activism, moving from discourse into concrete action demanding the liberation of Palestine.

Years later, confronting Zionist institutions and their investments in Israel remains a top priority on campuses globally. The movement has resurfaced. In late April 2026, students at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, relaunched their encampment to support the liberation of Palestine.

They renewed their call to the Board of Trustees for the campus to immediately divest from genocide. The relaunch coincided with the board’s semi-annual meeting held on campus Monday, April 27.

In the middle of the campus field, the encampment area is called the “Rafah to Jenin Liberation Zone.” Participants urged other students to join in solidarity, pressuring the board to finally listen to the long-standing demand for divestment.

A student who chose to remain anonymous told local media, Knock Los Angeles, “We are here to continue showing that there is a strong community on this campus demanding that our institution divest from genocide.”

Occidental College students are highly critical of their institution’s investments in Israel, the prison industry, and the military-industrial complex. Last year, on April 21, 2025, more than 10 students launched a hunger strike in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza suffering from starvation and malnutrition due to the Israeli blockade.

At that time, Israel was still blocking hundreds of aid trucks from entering Gaza. The students demanded that Occidental divest from five weapons manufacturing companies, ban ICE agents from campus, and designate protest areas as safe spaces where the LAPD and security cannot charge fees to students protesting peacefully.

When asked why it is important to relaunch the Palestine encampment at this time, a student responded, “The Board of Trustees makes all the decisions about our university, including endowment investments. They are doubling down on investments in genocide companies, ICE detention centers, the private prison industry, and the military-industrial complex.”

The student emphasized the importance of sending a message to the board that students will not allow investments with Israel to continue. If the board is willing to divest, then students can take back power from the university, making it a university for the people.

When the campus Board of Trustees moved their meeting to Zoom instead of on campus as planned, according to students demonstrating outside the in-person meeting location, this change happened just minutes before they were scheduled to speak with the board. The board also canceled other in-person engagements with students that day. As a result, there was no opportunity for students to interact directly.

However, what seemed like a frustrating situation turned into a victory for Occidental students. Four days after the encampment was re-established and after the board left their campus meeting, the students voluntarily chose to withdraw.

The decision was made in good faith. Students celebrated their victory, having successfully revived the communal conversation about Palestine and divestment. The relaunch of the encampment had achieved its goal, sending a powerful and clear message to the Board of Trustees.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)