ITHACA, NEW YORK — Progressive politics took center stage at Cornell University as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addressed a packed audience in upstate New York.
Student activists at the event welcomed the Democratic Socialist congresswoman with chants focused on Palestinian rights as her campaign worked to build enthusiasm for Democrats ahead of the midterm elections Sunday.
Before Ocasio-Cortez’s “Students vs. Billionaires” town hall began, Cornell Young Democratic Socialists of America co-chairs Mina Petrova and Zoe Reisman led approximately 2,000 attendees in chants including “from the river to the sea” and “long live the student intifada.” The event was held at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center.
“Cornell is fundamentally a capitalist institution that prioritizes billionaires and profit over students and community and is controlled by CEO trustees that are profiting off of genocide and war,” Petrova told the crowd, drawing applause.
Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign organized the gathering with student activist group More Perfect University, describing it as part of an effort to increase Democratic turnout in areas where the party traditionally performs well before the November election.
Ocasio-Cortez, who has been traveling across upstate New York as she raises her national profile amid speculation about a future presidential or US Senate campaign, criticized Cornell over what she described as efforts to restrict student protesters’ free-speech rights.
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“Whether it’s the issue about Palestine or many others. Whether it’s about people trying to fire those who are forming a union in their workplace, whether it’s people trying to speak up about a number of different issues, we have to respond to that first crackdown,” she said.
“When we come out in numbers, they cannot take us all,” Ocasio-Cortez added.
The slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” remains highly controversial. The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly characterized it as antisemitic in a 2024 resolution, while critics argue that its reference to the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea implies the elimination of Israel and its people.
Ocasio-Cortez voted against that resolution.
The Bronx-Queens representative became a national political figure after defeating longtime Queens Democratic leader Joe Crowley in the party’s 2018 midterm primary. Earlier Sunday, she had been expected to appear alongside Gov. Kathy Hochul.
A spokesperson for Hochul said the governor canceled the planned Ithaca appearance with Ocasio-Cortez earlier that day.
The governor’s office attributed the decision to the nor’easter affecting New York City, although Hochul had no public events listed for Sunday.
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