Protests against the detention of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts doctoral student and Fulbright scholar who was detained by federal agents outside her Somerville home on Tuesday, are planned for Thursday, marking a second night of protests.
Thousands of people gathered in support of Ozturk in Powder House Square on Wednesday. Somerville mayor Katjana Ballantyne was present, as were several activist organizations.
In an email to members of the Harvard Square Business Association on Thursday, an association spokesperson indicated that a protest would take place later in the day. Cambridge police department had informed the association that a march from Somerville to Harvard Square would take place.
“While CPD did not state the reason behind the demonstration, it is likely organized to protest the arrest of Rumeysa Ozturk,” the email read.
Flyers found across Cambridge and produced by Refuse Fascism, a group that has mobilized protests in several cities since its establishment in 2016, indicated that a protest would also be held within Harvard Square. The protest is planned for 4 p.m. outside Smith Campus Center, 1350 Massachusetts Ave.
Refuse Fascism planned the protest to coincide with the date of the first federal court hearing held for Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at his home in New York this month. The group planned actions in nine other cities on the same day.
Both Khalil and Ozturk were in the United States legally – Khalil had a green card and Ozturk an F-1 visa – and had engaged in pro-Palestine advocacy.
Separately, Somerville for Palestine, a group that describes themselves on Instagram as “an intergenerational, interracial, interfaith group of Somerville Community members united in our steadfast advocacy for Palestinian liberation,” posted on Wednesday that a rally would be held outside Somerville City Hall at 6 p.m. Thursday.
The rally will be held in support of a question that the group is seeking to include on the ballot in November that “advises Somerville leaders to stop current and future business with companies that engage in business that sustains Israel’s apartheid, genocide and illegal occupation of Palestine.”
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