Peace Action Geneseo hosts rally for peace in Palestine
Photo courtesy of Managing Editor Regan Russell
From left to right: Kathleen Mahoney, Christian Chaffee, and Regan Russell. All three were in attendance for the rally for peace in Palestine.
On Saturday Oct. 25, 2025 Peace Action Geneseo (PAG) hosted a rally in support of Peace for Palestine in collaboration with the Young Democratic Socialists of America at Geneseo (YDSA). The event took place from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and was held on Main Street at the Veterans Memorial Park.
While the event hosted by PAG last week brought incredible numbers to Main Street in support, this rally had far fewer attendees. Approximately 20 people were present for the event, with at least 10 students showing their support. Executive board members from both organizations were also in attendance, with many of them giving a small speech or leading peaceful chants. Members of the collaborative organization, Geneseo Valley Citizens for Peace (GVCP), were also participating in the rally, displaying flags and signs in support.
PAG turned their last weekly meeting into a chance for students to make signs for the rally, which also served as an opportunity to educate students on the importance of hosting an event like this in support of peace in Palestine. Many are under the misconception that there is no longer a reason to publicly provide awareness to this issue due to the recent news of a ceasefire agreement. By hosting events like this, students are able to educate themselves, their peers, and even other community members. It also brings attention to the school and reiterates the importance of divesting and supporting businesses with like-minded values.
Geneseo is not the only school to continue to shine a light on this issue. The University of Rochester is home to a group of students who have formed an organization called Students for Justice in Palestine. At the beginning of October they began a hunger strike and sent an email to the school informing them of their mission and what they hoped to accomplish. The school responded with the following: “University of Rochester leaders did receive a mass email this morning from a generic Students for Justice in Palestine address indicating a hunger strike and list of demands. University leaders do not know who is behind this email and will not be responding. Students for Justice in Palestine is not a recognized group or chapter at the University of Rochester.”
Acts of protest such as these rarely receive coverage; I personally learned about it from a member of GVCP at PAG’s rally this past weekend. The group of students is small, with many reporting just six who are participating in the hunger strike, but they have the ability to make a large difference at their university and beyond.
Just like the small group from the University of Rochester, a small group of students from Geneseo have the ability to make an impact and share this message of peace as well. Peace Action Geneseo has just four executive board members and approximately less than 10 students who attend weekly meetings. Despite these small group numbers, they were able to pull in hundreds of students for large protests like the No Kings day protest.
PAG holds protests and rallies for a wide variety of issues that students are passionate about. While there is currently no upcoming protest scheduled, there will surely be more before the end of the semester. Follow @peaceactiongeneseo to see updates and send any questions or peaceful comments that you may have.