‘Stop funding genocide’: Boise protesters call for ceasefire in Gaza, set up encampment

Dozens of people came out to protest in Boise on Friday night and into Saturday calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

The demonstrations come amid growing anti-war protests and as students nationwide form encampments on college campuses to call for their universities to divest from companies with links to Israel.

The protest in Boise began Friday night at the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, where protesters left flowers to “honor victims of genocide everywhere,” Boise to Palestine, a group that says it is seeking the liberation of Palestine, wrote on its Instagram. Demonstrators then marched downtown and set up an encampment near the Capitol. Many remained at the site overnight, though protesters said police removed tents early Saturday. Idaho State Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

At the protest site on Saturday morning, people flew Palestinian flags and displayed signs that read “Free Palestine,” “Stop funding genocide,” and “End U.S. complicity in genocide.” A long piece of fabric displayed the written names of tens of thousands who have died in Gaza.

Protesters said that the tents were meant to be symbolic for the families in Gaza whose homes have been destroyed and are living in tents. The Associated Press reported over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health officials. Several protesters said they came out to stand up in solidarity with Palestine, to raise awareness about what’s going on in the region and to oppose the U.S.’s financial support of Israel. Many said they weren’t comfortable sharing their names out of fear for their safety.

Boise State Students for Palestine also had a list of demands for the university, including ceasing “current and future endowment investments into companies affiliated with Israel and any other perpetrators of the genocide in Gaza,” committing to being transparent about finances and securing amnesty for those who speak out about Palestine.

Boise State sent out a message on Friday that warned against disrupting commencement ceremonies, which were being held Saturday. The university said it would make safety a top priority and that it wouldn’t tolerate actions that “disrupt the operations and events of the university, the shouting down of speakers, or violations of law or university policy.”

“Over the last week there has been unrest on college campuses across the country related to conflict in the Middle East,” the email, signed by Boise State President Marlene Tromp and the university leadership team said. “We are concerned and troubled by the distressing news coverage on campuses showing an escalation of violent confrontations, destruction of property, and more.”

Those at the protest site on Saturday morning remained peaceful as several cars that drove by honked to show their support. Supporters dropped off food, water and other supplies throughout the morning.

The Idaho chapter of IfNotNow, a national organization that describes itself as movement of American Jews advocating to “end U.S. support for Israel’s apartheid system,” in a post on Instagram called for an end to the “mass slaughter of Palestinians” and pushed back against claims that equated anti-Zionism with antisemitism.

“As Idaho Jews, we know what antisemitism is, and calling for an end to genocide, calling for an end to Israeli occupation, calling for Freedom in Gaza never has been and never will be anti-semitic,” the post said.

Over the past several months, protests have taken place in Boise in support of Palestine and Israel. In November, more than 1,000 people attended an event put on by the Idaho Stands with Israel Coalition after an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.