ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – College students all over the country have set up encampments to protest the ongoing war in Gaza. 

In Albuquerque, advocates are calling for the UNM Board of Regents to take a stance against the occupation of Palestine, and divest from any company doing business with Israel. 

Students at UNM and community advocates have set up shop at the Duck Pond on campus. 

“We are hoping to hold this space as long as we can because we want to make it very visible that we are for a free Palestine. We are also creating space for students, creating mutual aid for community to be able to access and spaces where we can gather as a community for students and people who are non-students,” said Siihasin Hope, a UNM Alumni community activist. 

Protestors are calling on the UNM Board of Regents to make a statement condemning the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza. 

They are also calling on the university to withdraw financial support from any companies that are involved with Israel.  

“Boycott, divest sanctions is basically withdrawing financial support, cutting off financial support and removing financial and social ties to businesses and corporations involved with Israel, and involved with the military industrial complex because this is a larger issue,” said a UNM student. 

Advocates say weapons manufacturers use UNM faculty and student research to build the weapons being used in Gaza. 

“UNM has several ties to these, you can see this in big stuff like military programs at UNM, nuclear support,” a UNM student said. 

Many protestors say while the message can be lost at times, their movement is about freeing Palestinians who have been under occupation for decades. 

“I am not the only Jewish student out here. We are not an antisemitic movement, we held a Passover Seder here on Monday evening, I helped lead it. There are plenty of Jewish students out here who are supporting and believe what is happening in Israel goes against Jewish faith,” said a UNM student. 

They have just started a teach-in, one of the events scheduled for Tuesday. 

KOB 4 reached out to the university, and a spokesperson tells us they support the right to express their ideas. However, they say tents and sleeping bags are against the student handbook.