Hundreds of Harvard students and faculty took to the streets on Tuesday in one of the biggest pro-Palestine rallies at the university this year. Around 300 protesters marched from the Science Center, down Massachusetts Avenue, and through Widener Gate, voicing their anger over what they see as Harvard’s cooperation with the Trump administration and leadership changes at key academic centers focused on religion and the Middle East.
The demonstration outside University Hall was particularly fiery, with speakers criticizing Harvard President Alan Garber’s response to a Trump administration review of nearly $9 billion in federal funding. Clyve Lawrence, a student and editorial writer for The Crimson, slammed Garber’s decision to cooperate with Trump’s task force on antisemitism, calling it “a complete capitulation.”
Meanwhile, inside University Hall, over 100 professors were attending a Faculty of Arts and Sciences meeting. Protesters outside chanted loudly, hoping their voices would be heard inside, and handed out pamphlets listing their demands.
This rally wasn’t just about the Israel-Palestine issue—protesters were also pushing back against leadership changes at Harvard’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES). The recent removal of professors Rosie Bsheer and Cemal Kafadar, who previously led CMES, sparked outrage. Many believe they were dismissed due to concerns over their programming on Palestine.
Christopher Malley, a Ph.D. student in Middle East Studies, read a statement condemning the move, calling it “a shameful act of censorship” that threatens academic freedom. Malley and other graduate students announced they would stop working with CMES until the professors were reinstated.
Harvard Divinity School’s decision to pause its Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative (RCPI) also came under fire. Alexandra Potter, a divinity school student, argued that the program was “one of the only” on campus that presented honest information about Palestine, making its suspension all the more frustrating.
The protesters also addressed concerns about Trump’s immigration policies, particularly threats to international students from ICE. Two activists read out a list of demands, including a call for Harvard to refuse cooperation with ICE and protect student data from the federal government.
While the rally was largely peaceful, a few counterprotesters showed up, blaring the U.S. national anthem and playing recordings accusing the protesters of hypocrisy for not speaking out against Trump sooner.
As the rally moved toward Harvard Yard, security officers initially tried to block access through Widener Gate, but students flashed their IDs and pushed their way in. Some non-Harvard protesters managed to slip in as well.
University officials reportedly asked non-Harvard journalists to leave the Yard during the protest, but the demonstration carried on with loud chants demanding justice for detained international students and calling for an end to U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Harvard Protests Heat Up: 300 Students Rally Against Trump and Key Leadership Changes
