The University of Louisville (UofL) inaugurated its new president, Gerry Bradley, on Oct. 10, 2025. Bradley was appointed as president following Kim Schatzel’s resignation in March 2025, after she was given the choice either to resign or to be terminated.
U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell began the ceremony with a speech, praising the UofL and Bradley. Lieutenant Governor and UofL alumna Jacqueline Coleman followed after him sharing their personal experiences with the university. The Dean of UofL School of Dentistry, Dr. Margaret Hill, and Mayor Craig Greenberg also spoke at the inauguration, praising Bradley on his dedication to the students and the university itself.
Once it came time for Bradley to begin his address, Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine (LSJP) protestors interrupted him twice.
“We charge you with genocide,” the first protestor said while waving a Palestinian flag. “While you may be inaugurated today, you are not our president. We have tried to have dialogue with you.”
A second protester joined in, waving a Keffiyeh in solidarity with Palestine and began chanting, “Disclose, divest! We will not stop, we will not rest!”
Soon after, officials forcibly removed protestors out of the ceremony. Bradley continued with his speech, disregarding the protestors.
“Our history shows a pattern of resilience and commitment to inclusivity, preparing Kentuckians and global citizens for success,” he said.
LSJP then took to Instagram and made a post criticizing UofL’s actions and explaining what happened at the inauguration.
“UofL police charge students with trespassing and disorderly conduct charges for protesting genocide,” they stated in a post on Instagram.
Seven hours after the inauguration, LSJP received a letter from Bradley stating that they had been suspended as a registered student organization. The decision outraged LSJP members, who viewed Bradley’s decision as suppressing student advocacy.
On Oct. 8, 2025, as a part of LSJP’s “Week of Rage,” they hosted a People’s Tribunal in front of the Bingham Humanities Building at 1 p.m. to protest against the university’s financial ties to companies associated with Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
At the tribunal, LSJP also had the Young Democratic Socialists of America and the Bluegrass Student Collective to come speak out on Bradley and the university for their continued refusal to listen to their students.
UofL later attempted to repress LSJP by shutting down the People’s Tribunal and charging any attendees with code of conduct violations. As Bradley starts his presidency at UofL, many students as well as LSJP say they will be keeping track of how the university addresses students’ concerns. This protest was one of many around the U.S. that highlighted the ongoing struggle for students to make their voices heard, such as Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian Columbia student who was arrested for organising protests on campus
Noor lazem • Oct 13, 2025 at 9:30 pm
Great article