From Columbia to Los Angeles and around the country, American college campuses have been filled since late April with pro-Palestinian protests against the Gaza war. In the midst of this situation of instability and police arrests, local restaurants and organizations have wanted to do their bit by donating food for the protesters.
Trays with shawarma, falafel, kibbe - balls of minced meat coated in bilgur and spices -, sweet corn bread and many other recipes have been the preparations typical of Palestinian gastronomy that restaurants have offered to university students, who were waiting in stores campaign strategically located behind barricades or enclosed within the enclosure. In Minnesota, some of the participating locations have been Baba's Hummus House, Football Pizza and Holy Land.
According to a student at the University of Minnesota, the donations that universities have received in recent days have even come from individuals, who have prepared large portions of oatmeal, bagels, yogurt, juice and coffee for breakfast, and trays of biryani rice with chicken or pasta with tomato for lunch. “Food is a great connection point; “It has been incredible to see how this can help people learn about Palestinian culture, and even learn about other cultures within this movement,” he explained.
Fast food has also not been lacking on makeshift college tables, with snacks like donuts, trail mix, and granola bars, as well as bean and cheese wraps from Taco Bell and drinks like Mountain Dew. In fact, so much food has accumulated in some centers that organizers have had to stop accepting more donations.
Baba's Hummus House restaurant, co-founded by brothers Rana Kamal and Khalid Ansari, has been one of the most supportive of the University of Minnesota. Both say they have been left in “complete amazement” by the courage of student protesters across the country. “As Palestinians, we are excited to see people from all walks of life coming together not only to demonstrate, but to protest in an attempt to create a new world,” Kamal told Eater Twin Cities.
She explains that both she and her husband have friends and family in Palestine living in “unimaginable circumstances” and that the last six months have been incredibly difficult for them. “So much life has been lost. We only pray for love and peace. "For both the Palestinians and the Israelis."
Kamal and Ansari's parents immigrated to Minnesota from Palestine decades ago and opened the Mediterranean Cruise Cafe in the city's suburbs. The brothers grew up immersed in the daily rhythms of the restaurant and spent summers in Jerusalem with their grandparents. From the beginning, Kamal says, Baba's has been a love letter to his Palestinian roots and a bridge between his two identities, American and Arab.
“One of our best moments has been seeing both Palestinians and Israelis enjoying a bowl of hummus in our cafe.” This is why they started Baba's, they say, “to share our food, heritage and beautiful Palestine with the people.” community."
During the protests on campus and the meals of students and professors, the organizers have been holding meetings with administrators to negotiate their demands: that the university reveal its investments, stop investing in companies that benefit from the war in Gaza and ban weapons manufacturers like Lockheed Martin, among other demands. On May 2, this agreement was reached and the tents were dismantled, but new marches have already emerged.
The protests in recent weeks have drawn historical parallels with the 1972 University of Minnesota protests against the Vietnam War, when former Gov. Wendell Anderson called in the National Guard to quell the crowd of about 3,000 people.
