Dozens of students marched through Northeastern’s Boston campus March 23 for a pro-Palestine protest urging Northeastern to divest from RTX, a multi-billion-dollar aerospace defense company, and encouraging students to boycott Tatte Bakery and Café, an Israeli-founded business located on campus.
The protest was organized by Huskies for a Free Palestine, or HFP, an unofficial pro-Palestine student group at Northeastern. The group hosted a protest in front of Tatte in November and a “disruptive” iftar on Centennial Common last April.
The university declined to comment on the protest or its involvement with RTX, formerly Raytheon Technologies.
The protest began at noon at Forsyth Park, and around 12:15 p.m., protestors began to march down Huntington Avenue toward Tatte’s Northeastern location, which is directly connected to Marino Recreation Center. The demonstrators continued down Forsyth Street, stopping in front of the Ruggles MBTA station.
Multiple police officers were present while protestors were on university property, but did not intervene with the protest.
Protesters chanted “Free Palestine” and “Your coffee fuels genocide” toward Tatte employees and customers. They passed out flyers, one of which implored passersby to “stop prioritizing convenience over Palestinian lives” and stated that “cultural erasure is a tool of genocide.” Multiple HFP members and protesters declined to be interviewed by The Huntington News.
Tatte founder Tzurit Or was born in Israel. At the November protest, HFP members said Tatte’s revenue is given to Ron Shaich, the company’s lead investor, who gives millions of dollars to the Israeli military. The News has been unable to independently verify this claim.
Northeastern and RTX have had a partnership for decades, and “the defense and aerospace giant collaborates closely with our faculty, identifying and solving challenging problems while leveraging expertise from our multidisciplinary research institutes and centers,” the Northeastern University Arlington website reads.
The defense company offers co-ops to Northeastern students and often hires Northeastern graduates.
“Raytheon is subjugating on Palestinians with its relationship with Israel,” a speaker, who did not identify themselves, said during the protest. “There are many other institutions that our school has a relationship with that are complicit and actively working with the Israeli occupation.”
In October 2024, HFP protested the presence of RTX and other military industrial companies that develop technologies for Israel at a Northeastern career fair.
Monday’s protesters also spoke against the Northeastern Engage system, which requires students to file permits with the university and receive written approval seven days before a demonstration.
This semester’s Student Government Association, or SGA, election ballot, which students voted on from March 14 to 22, included a referendum addressing this policy. The referendum, which passed, asks Northeastern to set a minimum number of participants before permission is requested to assemble.
Students and bystanders collected flyers but were hesitant to share their opinions on the protest or the broader Israel-Hamas conflict with The News.
One international student, who requested anonymity out of fear of repercussions from the federal government, said he was “scared” to speak on the subject.
Most students who spoke with The News commended HFP’s actions and said the group stood up for the protection of freedom of speech on campus.
“I just think it’s amazing, using our voice in these situations, especially these companies that are funding genocide,” said Giada Palazzo, a second-year computer science major and bystander. “It’s great to see — letting everyone know what they’re putting their money into.”
Other onlookers echoed this sentiment.
“Palestine is a really important topic,” said third-year accounting major Julianna Lewis. “I think it’s really important to protest and watch where your money goes and boycott.”
A first-year student who declined to provide their name for fear of retaliation from other students felt that HFP could take a different approach to discussing the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“They’re wearing masks because they’re scared that people will see them, and they’re afraid of the consequences,” they said. “They’re screaming at a coffee brand that does nothing. They don’t want to have a discussion or a debate.”
“I definitely agree with the right for civil protest,” said Donte Lewis, a fourth-year cell and molecular biology major. “I believe everybody has a right to display their anger with the system. Humanity is first and always.”
