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A student protests Israel's Gaza offensive at the January 15 die-in.01/23/2009
Georgetown Students Stage a "Die-In" in Protest of Israeli Offensive in Gaza
On January 15, in 26 degree weather, around 30 Georgetown students, including MAAS students, lay down as if dead on the cold bricks in Red Square to call attention to the loss of life in Gaza. The day of the protest, more than 1,000 Palestinians had been killed, many of them civilians. By the time of the January 18 cease-fire, at least 1,300 had died. Thirteen Israelis were also killed, among them three civilians.
The protestors remained motionless for three quarters of an hour, dressed in dark colors and donning kaffiyehs, with flowers strewn around them and the names of both Palestinian and Israeli dead pinned to their jackets. Jessica Devaney, a MAAS student who helped organize the demonstration, explains the impetus for the protest: “As the violence raged on, it became clear that we wanted to speak out against the attacks…in solidarity with the people of Gaza.” Jaime Stansbury, MAAS ’09 and another organizer, adds, “It was about memorializing individuals: fathers, sisters, young and old.”
Why a die-in instead of carrying signs? Olivia Moseley, a third MAAS student who helped organize the protest, comments, “It’s easy to walk by a group of protestors holding signs without really paying attention, but…a die-in compels people to take notice in a different way.” Devaney agrees: “It creates an image that is aesthetically jarring for students who are walking across campus going about their daily business.” Khaled, a student in the English as a Foreign Language Program who observed the protest, adds: “Students at Georgetown study and enjoy themselves. They don’t always read the papers and realize what’s going on. So this is important.”
As passersby made their way through Red Square, many grew silent, while others discussed or commented on the conflict. A few students admitted to not being well-informed about the situation, while James, a sophomore, asserted, “I blame both sides and Hamas’ poor leadership.” Devaney notes that she also heard many people talking either about the image before them or Gaza. “For me, this—our aim to raise awareness—was the most successful outcome,” she says.
In response to the die-in, the Georgetown Israel Alliance’s president, junior Ariell Zimran, spoke to the student newspaper The Hoya, saying that he believes Israel acted responsibly during the offensive: “The Israel Defense Forces go to great lengths to minimize civilian casualties by informing civilians in Gaza of impending attacks…the current humanitarian situation in Gaza is a product of Hamas’ disregard for the safety of its own populace.”
Students responded online to Zimran’s and others’ comments in the Hoya article with dissenting opinions and arguments, demonstrating the contentious nature of the conflict.
For the protestors, however, the die-in fostered connectivity. “Afterwards, when we were warming up,” says Devaney, “the room was almost vibrating with our renewed energy level after pulling off what we all considered a powerful and moving demonstration.”
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