Madison Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), in conjunction with five other political student organizations, hosted a protest on Library Mall calling for the University of Wisconsin System Trust Fund to divest from weapons manufacturing on Tuesday.
The protest, which drew around 20 participants from SDS, SJP, Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP) and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, along with an Iranian immigrant, was the latest in a long series of rallies which, since Students for Justice in Palestine’s pro-Palestine encampment in early 2024, that have called for the UW System to divest from portfolios which hold stock in companies like Lockheed Martin and Palantir.
At the protest, advocates voiced their disapproval over the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in the Middle East and their growing humanitarian costs.
Speakers from each group denounced the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, where chants of “shame” could be heard echoing from the crowd as a Palestinian flag waved overhead.
“We had Palestinian flags and keffiyeh, because there's a recognition that the genocide in Gaza is connected to Iran,” SDS member Bradley Keenan told The Daily Cardinal. “The IDF carried out a ground invasion, murdered thousands of people in Gaza and is now working hand in hand in the U.S. military in Iraq.”
On Feb. 28 the U.S. and Israel launched a joint assault on Iran, with airstrikes on multiple cities and killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In the 10 days since, over 1,700 casualties have been reported in the region, 12 countries have been struck by missiles and around 140 U.S. service members have been injured.
“Every person in the Middle East is at the mercy of U.S. bombs and Israeli bombs constantly,” Luca, an SDS member, said. “This is totally unjust, and the university — through their investments — sponsors this murder. The school must be held accountable for their illegal actions. We must divest immediately from Israeli companies and defense contractors.”
As of December 2025, the UW System Trust fund has invested over $316 million dollars into BlackRock’s ACWI Index, which includes some companies that have profited from the war in Gaza, assist with tracking for ICE raids, are connected to the attacks on Venezuela or are attributed to human rights violations.
According to a 2024 financial review conducted by the Cardinal, the top 10 U.S. defense contractors made up approximately 1.1% of all investments in the index, while companies that have provided weapons to Israel encompass 4.56%.
“Every dollar spent on war is not only a moral injustice, it is a reminder exactly of what our government values and who it finds expended,” Seth, a member of JVP said. “It is critical in these times that you express your right to protest peacefully, your free expression. Use your voice while you still can.”
