Pro-Palestine student groups marched to Huntington Bank Stadium from Coffman Union to protest an Israeli diplomat’s speech Thursday afternoon. 

The speech was given to a private audience inside Huntington Bank Stadium as security personnel, caution tape and barriers prevented protestors and reporters from entering. 

According to Students Supporting Israel vice president Tagore Pathak, the speech was a private event for SSI members and other people on an invite list. He said the diplomat, Yinam Cohen, was going to discuss Israeli diplomacy and was not planning on discussing anything University-specific.

Cohen is responsible for assisting and promoting U.S. and Israel relations in nine Midwestern states, including Minnesota. 

Reporters met Cohen at a table near the John and Nancy Lindall entrance to ask him questions. He did not talk to reporters, who were not allowed to enter the building, and only ushered in people who were allowed into the event.

Student groups protesting included Students for a Democratic Society, Students for Justice in Palestine and other students in the Divest Coalition. About a hundred marchers left Coffman Union around 3 p.m. and arrived at Huntington when the speech was scheduled to begin around 3:20. There, the protesters met barriers, caution tape and a dozen University police officers.

A previous meeting between University of Minnesota administration and Cohen on campus in March of last year prompted a hundred protesters to march for divestment from Israel, according to Fight Back! news. 

Thursday’s protest comes after 11 departmental statements on Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine were taken down by University administration after a Saturday Zoom meeting between Provost Rachel Croson and department chairs, the Minnesota Daily reported. 

Administration said they did not want an email record of the statement removals, according to sources who participated in the meetings.

Pathak said SSI was not intimidated by protesters but he has experienced death threats and has reason to be concerned for his safety.

“We are here, we are proud, we are not going away,” Pathak said.

Veterans for Peace member Tom Bauch said he joined the protest to support students protesting for Palestine. He said academic restrictions on freedom of speech were shameful to the University. 

“Freedom of speech is what universities are supposed to stand for,” Bauch said. “Why would any students want to go to school in this climate?”

Merrilyn Downes, 75, was on the private list of invitees to the speech. She said she was concerned about protesters’ hate.

“Everyone has rights to freedom of speech as long as they aren’t hurting anyone,” Downes said. “As long as it’s a safe protest.”

SDS member Fae Hodges said the turnout to the protest was high despite students not knowing about Cohen’s speech until late yesterday afternoon. She said the plan for the protest was to peacefully chant outside and then leave.

“Students dropped what they were doing and engaged with us at the last minute,” Hodges said.

Hodges said the coalition was here to tell the University to divest from war crimes and genocide.

“We are not here to harm or scare students,” Hodges said. “Attacks on free speech are a threat to all students.”

SJS member Noora Ahmed said the invitation to have an Israeli diplomat speak on campus, protected by University police, does not send a message of neutrality. 

“How is it neutral to invite a war criminal to campus?” Ahmed asked. “This is upsetting, and we don’t even know if admin is there.”

Ahmed said protesters from different backgrounds came to show support. She added that this was a huge deal for Palestinians on campus.

“This isn’t just a Palestinian issue,” Ahmed said.