Photo: JASON REDMOND / AFP / Getty Images
Around 30 pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building at the University of Washington in Seattle on Monday (May 5). The group, known as Super UW, demanded the university cut ties with Boeing due to the company's military contracts with Israel. They argue these contracts contribute to what they describe as a "genocide of the Palestinian people." The protesters renamed the building after Shaban al-Dalou, a teenage engineering student killed in Gaza.
The protesters blocked the building's entrances with furniture and set dumpsters on fire, creating a dangerous environment. The police, including Washington state patrol’s rapid deployment teams, cleared the building by 11 p.m. and arrested about 30 individuals. They face charges of trespassing, property destruction, and disorderly conduct, which will be referred to the King County prosecutor's office.
Super UW's protest highlights ongoing tensions at universities regarding corporate partnerships and their implications. The group criticized the university for accepting a $10 million donation from Boeing in 2022 to build the engineering facility. The university condemned the occupation and an antisemitic statement made by a suspended student group. The university emphasized it would not be intimidated by such actions.
The protest is part of a larger wave of student activism, with Super UW stating their actions are part of a renewed "student Intifada." The university's Jewish Alumni Association expressed disappointment over the demonstration, criticizing the university's handling of the situation.