SAN MARCOS — As Cal State San Marcos holds its commencement ceremony on Friday, a group of students has joined other California State University campuses in a hunger strike, continuing demands for divestment from companies involved in alleged human rights violations and showing solidarity with Palestinians facing starvation due to Israel’s ongoing blockade.
Since early March, Israel has blocked all humanitarian aid, including food, water or medicine, from entering Gaza, with one in five Gazans currently facing starvation, according to a recent United Nations-backed report.
While international aid groups say the region is at risk of slipping into a man-made famine, Israeli officials have refused to lift the blockade until Hamas releases hostages being held in Gaza.
Around two dozen students at San Jose State, Sacramento State, San Francisco State and CSU Long Beach commenced hunger strikes on May 5, and others were taking place throughout the country. San Marcos students said they joined on May 14 in solidarity with other campuses and to keep up the pressure.
Senior Amber Arenas was on the third day of her hunger strike when she walked across the stage for CSUSM graduation on Friday. She and other students also demonstrated on campus throughout the day.
“It’s good to show that it’s not just certain schools … we’re all fighting for this collective struggle,” Arenas said on Thursday. “This isn’t just for our campus — it’s for the students at the other universities.”
CSUSM students are demanding that the university divest from companies including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Caterpillar, Viasat, and Northrop Grumman that supply weapons, surveillance technology or military efforts toward human rights violations as defined by international law.
They also demand that the university and the CSU system adopt the San Francisco State University Human Rights ISP Screening, end study abroad programs at Israeli institutions, meet demands for a sanctuary campus, and drop Time, Place and Manner violations against student protestors.
Those participating in the strike are only consuming water with electrolytes and have their vitals checked by medics multiple times a day.
“The fact that there’s no more food in Gaza, I think I’m willing to try anything to try to do something about it,” said senior Eric Bullock.
CSUSM officials said they respect the rights of those participating, but are concerned about their health. University spokesperson Jerry McCormick also stated that the CSU system will not be updating its investment policies.
“We respect the diverse beliefs and personal convictions of our students, including those who have chosen to participate in a hunger strike. At the same time, we strongly urge our students to consider forms of expression that do not jeopardize their health and wellbeing. The safety and wellbeing of our students are of the utmost importance and remain the priority even, and especially, in times of unrest,” McCormick said.
Participants said they want their strike to call the attention of their peers to what is happening to Palestinians, adding that they feel ignored by administrators.
“In 10 years when you look back in history at Gaza starving, what were you doing? I don’t want to be someone who looks away. I wouldn’t want other people to look away if I was going through my own struggle,” Arenas said.
More protestors face disciplinary action
Several hunger-strike participants are also facing disciplinary procedures for protesting outside a university event on Feb. 20.
During the protest, which called for CSUSM to increase protections for undocumented students, students attempted to enter the University Student Union where the school was holding its Social Mobility Symposium, and were blocked by police.
CSUSM’s Dean of Students Office initially issued notices to four students — all members of Students for Justice in Palestine — and two alumni in late February accusing them of violating the Time, Place and Manner (TPM) policy, which sets restrictions on expressions of free speech on campus.
Arenas received a violation notice and was also fired from her job at the University Student Union and her paid internship on campus. She said the stress of the situation caused her to fall behind on schoolwork, which she is still working to make up.
“I’m still trying to graduate. I fell behind in every aspect, academically and financially,” Arenas said.
Last week, during finals, the university issued TPM violation notices to four more students, citing their participation in the same protest.
Alejandra Coronado, who is also partaking in the hunger strike, was one of the students who received a notice last week. She said there is no sense in the university continuing to target students.
“It’s already three months later. They could be using their time to actually hear what we’re talking about right now,” Coronado said.
Those who were hit with violations still don’t know the outcome and are still awaiting potential hearings with the dean’s office.
In the past year, students at universities throughout the country, including UC San Diego, UCLA and other Southern California schools, have been arrested and faced other disciplinary action for pro-Palestine demonstrations and encampments.
This response has escalated under President Donald Trump, whose administration has explicitly targeted students speaking out in support of Palestine.
In the past two months, several students and academics have been detained by immigration officials for pro-Palestine views and are facing deportation, despite being in the United States legally.
Israel’s military campaign over the past 18 months has killed approximately 53,000 Palestinians. The bombardment is in response to a deadly October 2023 attack by Hamas in Israel that killed over 1,200 people, with 250 people taken as hostages.
