Less than an hour before the start of Saturday’s homecoming parade, MU students walking with the group Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine were told they had to remove a sign from their car decorations in order to participate.
The sign, which MSJP leadership decided to take down in order to walk in the parade, read “MU Alum Mohammed Aljamal says hello from Gaza.” Aljamal obtained a master’s degree in civil engineering and wastewater treatment from MU in 2016 before returning to Gaza.
This was the first year MSJP was allowed to participate in the parade, after university president Mun Choi barred the group from participating in last year’s homecoming celebrations. Earlier this month, a federal judge found that Choi’s decision to deny the group again this year violated their right to free speech, and ordered they be allowed to walk.
Despite the run-in with parade organizers, MSJP president Lily Dunn said the club’s inclusion is a sign of progress.
“I think the fact that we’re at the parade at all is a step in the correct direction, but we’re also taking a few steps back,” Dunn said. “This may be one leap forward, but it’s been like three steps back, to basically hear from the alumni association that they do not care about their Palestinian alumni.”
New this year, participants in the parade were required to adhere to an established theme. Several activist groups were excluded from the parade under this rule. This year’s theme, “Celebrating Black and Gold,” required groups to align with the stated goals of the parade — among them, supporting MU athletics and celebrating alumni.
Reached by phone, former MSJP president Isleen Atallah said she’s disappointed that the club wasn’t able to represent Palestinian alumni like Aljamal.
“He’s on our minds constantly, for those people who are trying to work towards a free Palestine and an end to genocide, and he’s as much a part of the Mizzou community as MSJP or any other alumni,” Atallah said.
Shortly before the parade, MSJP leaders reached out to their legal counsel about the incident with Aljamal’s sign. Going forward, Dunn said that MSJP will continue to be active in the university community and speak openly about Palestine.
“I think we’ve always had the love of the campus, we just haven’t had the love of the administration,” she said after the parade. “I think it definitely is a step in the right direction to see all these people out here celebrating us.”
A university spokesperson declined comment and the MU Alumni Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This story is developing and will be updated.
