Spartan Daily Vol. 164 No. 34

Solidarity with Palestine remains active at SJSU

visas,” Abdulrahman said.

Around 20 protesters gathered and marched around San José State’s campus to show their ongoing solidarity with the pro-Palestinian movement and to express their concerns around immigration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Members from SJSU Students for Justice in Palestine gathered near the Olympic Black Power Statue and began chanting, “Free, free Palestine” on Wednesday afternoon.

Students for Justice in Palestine is a nonprofit organization at SJSU that advocates for protecting human rights for Palestinians, according to its Instagram page.

Lara Abdulrahman, a third-year biomedical engineering student, said the group decided to organize a protest because they’ve noticed an increased amount of oppression against students.

“Nationally, students on campus are very scared right now, and they might not want to risk coming out to a protest, especially if they're undocumented or on student

Abdulrahman, who is also a part of the executive board for SJSU Students for Justice in Palestine, said the group had multiple demands for both the President Donald J. Trump administration and SJSU’s university administration.

She said the group is demanding to see an end to the criminalization of immigrant students and community members, see wide-spread disclosure and divestment away from companies that invest in Israel and not to support Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people.

In 2024, the United Nations Special Committee concluded that Israel’s warfare methods in Gaza were consistent with genocide, according to a Nov. 14, 2024 press release.

“The Trump administration has been getting campuses to comply in his (Trump’s) agenda and we want guarantees that our campus won't be one of those schools,” Abdulrahman said.

“And that they will protect their students, even if it risks losing a certain amount of funding.”

During the march, the protesters walked past wellknown landmarks on campus, including the Diaz Compean

Student Union, the Spartan Recreation and Aquatic Center and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.

The protesters shouted multiple chants including “From Palestine to Mexico, these border walls have got to go” and “We want justice we say now, Mahmoud Khalil.”

In March, federal immigration authorities arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student from Columbia University and a Palestinian activist who played a large role in the university’s protests against Israel, according to a March 9 AP News article.

U.S. Immigration Judge Jamee E. Comans ruled in Louisiana that the Trump administration is allowed to deport Khalil because his presence could have “potentially serious foreign policy consequences,” according to a Friday article from AP News.

Abdulrahman said 10 to 20 students have shared with her that they are hesitant to be outspoken because they are concerned for their safety and security.

“We had definitely had a greater amount of people in the past (at past protests) and I think that is due to

The Trump administration has been getting campuses to comply in his (Trump’s) agenda and we want guarantees that our campus won’t be one of those schools. And that they will protect their students, even if it risks losing a certain amount of funding.

fear mongering, especially with student oppression and deportations,” she said.

Nationwide, there are 1,905,000 first-generation immigrant students, 407,899 undocumented students and 883,908 international students in higher education, according to a portal from Higher Ed Immigration.

Nikki F., a teacher education graduate student, said they decided to come to the protest because they don’t want to see people use the fight against anti-semitism as a way to justify colonialism and genocide in Gaza and the West Bank.

Nikki requested to not include her last name because they are concerned about how the Trump administration is attacking students who protest for the pro-Palestinian movement.

At the time of publishing, the federal government has revoked visas for 13 students at SJSU, according to an April 9 email sent by Michelle Smith McDonald, the senior director of media relations for the university.

“I'm the grandchild of a Holocaust survivor. That's a really big part of my life and I very firmly and unequivocally believe that it's important to stop any form of genocide,” Nikki said. “I am repelled and disgusted by the way Zionists and this administration, both as in our government and SJSU administration, are

attempting to weaponize the pain of Holocaust survivors and those who passed in the Holocaust to justify settler colonialism and genocide.”

Nikki said students are going to continue protesting in the future because the genocide is still happening.

Israeli airstrikes attacked part of the last central medical center in Gaza on Sunday, according to a Sunday article from NBC News.

Israel broke its ceasefire agreement with Hamas on March 18 by launching multiple airstrikes into the Gaza Strip, according to a March 19 NBC News article.

“Right now, under this current administration, people are – understandably – very caught up in the things happening in our country,” Nikki said. “That said, we're still seeing active, ongoing genocide in all of occupied Palestine.”

They said students need to continue putting pressure on SJSU and other universities to focus on investing their money into student and academic resources instead of companies financially connected to Israel.

One company Nikki said they want SJSU to divest from is Lockheed Martin.

“Instead of using the dwindling resources we have to fund student resources and support academic programs, (SJSU) they're funding programs in Lockheed Martin,” they said.

Associated Students (A.S.) Board of Directors support SJSU ending ties with self-identifying Zionist universities, according to their Sense of Senate.

SJSU has three graduate programs in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, including in business analytics, robotics and artificial intelligence.

Taylor Smith, a second-year studio and fine arts student, said they were not a protester but she supports what the protesters are fighting for. Smith said they discovered the protest when she walked out of her class on Wednesday afternoon.

“I walked out of my class and I heard them from my class and I was intrigued, because I agree with what they're saying,” they said. “I agree that they stand for free Palestine and I agree that immigrants are welcome here and I agree that there's a problem.”

Lockheed Martin, a company that specializes in defense tech, has been collaborating with Israeli companies since 2004 and have multiple agreements in Israel, including to help produce aircrafts to support the Israeli Defense Force, according to its webpage.

Torres convicted, community reacts

By Israel Archie SENIOR STAFF WRITER

After facing child sex abuse allegations last November, former District 3 Councilmember Omar Torres was officially convicted last Tuesday of sexually assaulting a child in 1999.

The conviction follows Torres’s no-contest plea to three charges of child sexual abuse, according to an April 9 article from KQED.

The three felonies included sodomy, oral copulation and lewd and lascivious acts, according to a case summary from the district attorney’s office.

Jeff Rosen, a District Attorney for Santa Clara County, made a statement in a press release on April 8 regarding the former councilmember’s conviction.

“It is heartbreaking that someone elected to represent and serve thousands of San José residents had previously molested a small child,” Rosen said. “Children are vulnerable and precious and my office will do everything in our legal power to fight for their safety and fully prosecute those who hurt them.”

The victim of Torres’s sexual abuse was a relative, according to the same April 9 article from KQED. The abuse had occurred for years, starting when Torres was

no-contest plea was a way for Torres to ease his guilt.

“I think what he’s trying to do here is show contrition (and) seek mercy from the court because it was not a trial

also being investigated for allegations of sending lewd texts about minors and asking minors for sex, according to a March 3 article from San José Spotlight.

Amidst the allegations, he resigned from his seat last November before being arrested shortly after, according to a Nov. 5, 2024 article from ABC News.

It is heartbreaking that someone elected to represent and serve thousands of San José residents had previously molested a small child. Children are vulnerable and precious and my office will do everything in our legal power to fight for their safety and fully prosecute those who hurt them.

Jeff Rosen Santa Clara County District Attorney

a minor and leading into his adulthood, according to the same source.

In the same Santa Clara County press release, it was stated that the victim made contact with the police last year when an investigation was launched by the San José Police Department because of the allegations.

Steven Clark, a legal analyst and former Santa Clara County district attorney, said that Torres’s

case,” Clark said. “I think he also wanted to end this (and) get out of the public spotlight.”

Pleading no contest in a criminal proceeding implies that the defendant agrees to take a conviction for the crime without admitting to being guilty, according to a webpage from Eisner Gorin LLP, a criminal defense law firm.

In addition to the child molestation investigation, Torres was

“What makes it problematic is some of his more recent statements that he made online when he was conversing with the person in Chicago, where he still expressed interest in minors,” Clark said. “That’s very concerning for a court, even though these other charges (sexual assault against a relative) are older.”

Torres’s lawyer, Nelson McElmurry, obtained messages affirming that the former councilmember engaged in sexually driven chats on social media, according to an Oct. 15, 2024, article from San José Inside.

Torres is facing up to 24 years in prison and will be a lifetime registered sex offender, according to an April 8 article from KRON 4.

The allegations, charges and arrest of Torres then kickstarted a District 3 special election in which voting counts started as of April 8.

Because the investigations factored into the election, Clark said that there could be an underlying notoriety not only in the district but also in the city of San José.

“I think this is a black eye for the city of San José that they wanted to get past as soon as possible,” Clark said. “A lot of people stuck with him even though he had this past and I think they are very disappointed in him, so it’s going to take a while for this district to get past that.”

While District 3 resident and San José State student Khangerel Ganzorig feels that Torres is guilty and

should do time, he hopes that he could get some professional help.

A police report noted that Torres was sexually assaulted as a minor and he blamed that experience as the reason he started molesting minors, according to a Nov. 6, 2024, article from ABC News.

“I think he is definitely guilty (and) definitely needs to hear his sentence, but at the same time, he did talk about how he was a victim in the past,” Ganzorig said. “So while he does deserve jail time, he also needs to get the help he needs right now.”

Although Torres was involved in local government with many supporters, Clark feels that his high-profile presence in the community, in addition to the allegations, contributed to his downfall.

Torres became a city councilmember in January of 2023 when he beat Irene Smith, Santa Clara County judge pro tem, in the general election in 2022, according to a webpage from Ballotpedia.

“I think the district attorney wanted to send the message that even if you’re a public figure, you’re not above the law,” Clark said. “Sometimes it’s not helpful to be well known when you get charged with a crime because so many things are focused on you.”

Follow Israel on X (formerly Twitter) @archie45760

Students dissect food and culture

By Anahi Herrera Villanueva CONTRIBUTOR

With a diverse campus such as San José State, there’s a multitude of cultures that surround student life, and with that comes an appreciation for cultural food and its meaning to those who cherish it.

On Wednesday, the Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment held an event discussing the symbolic significance of foods that are related to Asian American culture, such as sushi, ramen and boba, according to the event webpage.

The event, Boba Talks: Conversations on Asian American Identity, focused on the negative and positive effects on the community, according to the same webpage.

Kunaal Gautam, a first-year business administration student, explained why being aware of different food cultures is important.

I think we are lucky at SJSU and even the Bay (Area) in general to have firsthand experience with so many cultures. It builds a community and helps uplift these cultures that sometimes might feel left out.

Javier Castro Third-year business management student

and exchange with someone (who) has a similar experience with a different type of culture.”

“It lets you expand your culture to more people,” Gautam said. “It lets you experience more flavors. You can also share stories has been making it my

At its root, the diversity of food cultures is in understanding the connection people ha ve t o th at culture and how it is used as a tool to connect and socialize, according to a Feb. 18 Insight Vacations article. For some students, part of creating a connection is building positive memories.

“My favorite cultural food is shahi paneer,” Gautam said. “It’s from India, and I say it's my favorite because my mom h b k iit is feeling down, he gets a sense of closeness to his family when he co ns um es t he dish

Balasurya Balamurugan, a third-year economics student, shared a new dish that he has recently been enjoying “Lowkey, right now (it) is Greek food,” Balamurugan said. “I like to explore different cultures so Greek is the one I've been trying out lately. It's lamb,

Hispanic Heritage Month or Beading Circle during Native American & Indigenous Month, according to the 2024 SJSU events calendar.

Beyond building connections with p eopl e from that culture, the di ff t f d l

specifically lamb with tzatziki s auce.”

whole life.” He said it’s a comfort food and whenever he different food also broadens flavor palates, according to My Viva Plan Webpage.

With San José having a diverse student body, the SJSU MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center observes the heritage of several student po pu lations throughout the year, such LtíNi ht d i

as Lotería Night during

For April, SJSU observes Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month as well as Southwest Asian & North African Heritage Month, according to the cultural center's page.

Javier Castro, a thirdyear business management student, said that observing these heritage months is vital for the student body at SJSU.

“I think we are lucky at SJSU and even the Bay (Area) in general to have first-hand experience with so many cultures,” Castro said. “It builds a community and helps uplift these cultures that

sometimes might feel left Today, there will be a

Toda y, SW Dial og ues e v centered on belongi acc

SWANA Dialogues event centered on belonging and campus climate, according to a SJSU MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center Facebook post.

eritage Mont h Circle e rican Month, o the vents p ril, v es n nder ll s ometimes fe out.”

“Part of continuing uplifting cultures that may feel left out is making sure that there isn’t a general categorization of heritage and I’m glad that there are events that are catered to,” Castro said.

ON THE SIDELINES WITH SUNJAY

Warriors’ playoff

Navin Sunjay Krishnan COLUMNIST

With the star tandem of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III healthy and ready to take the stage in the playoffs, the Warriors’ optimism of a postseason run, has gone from delusion to possibility.

On Tuesday, the Warriors won the play-in game 121-116 against the Memphis Grizzlies to secure the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and are scheduled to play the Houston Rockets in the first round of postseason play. Butler tallied 38 points, leading the Warriors to victory, according to an NBC Sports Bay Area article

The Warriors had a losing record of 25-26 when Butler debuted after being acquired from the Miami Heat at the Feb. 6 trade deadline, according to a March 25, NBC Sports Bay Area article.

Realistically, this duo can revive the Warriors’ dynasty for several years to come. As for this season, the Warriors aren’t going to make it past the second round.

In a five-way trade, the Miami Heat, the Golden State Warriors, the Utah Jazz, the Detroit Pistons and the Toronto Raptors agreed to a blockbuster move highlighted by forward Andrew Wiggins going to

Miami and Butler coming to the Bay Area, according to a Feb. 6 CBS Sports article.

The Warriors have the potential of creating havoc in the Western Conference playoffs, they have optimism that the Butler-Curry onetwo punch is going to be a force for the foreseeable future.

However, nothing was as striking as the arrival of Butler to the Dubs’ lineup.

for Golden State, according

are the brightest during the postseason, and his two-way capabilities are perfectly suited for our team,” Dunleavy said in an interview with CBS Sports.

Butler’s immediate impact is the perfect fit for the Warriors and the perfect complement to the Warriors’ superstar guard and future Hall-of-Famer in Curry

can repeatedly draw fouls and finish through contact.

The star forward brings everything the Warriors need in a one-man stimulus package.

He defends and facilitates like forward Draymond Green, passes like a point guard and he drives to the goal with ferocity.

according to an NBC Sports Bay Area article.

The forward’s winning mentality has significantly propelled the Warriors.

situation …” Kerr said in an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area. “The defensive play of the game with the blocked shot at the rim. It’s the beauty of guys like Jimmy and Draymond, that they can impact the game at such a high level regardless of what’s happening with their offensive games.”

The offense recorded a 111.8 rating, which was 18th in the NBA prior to acquiring Butler and jumped to 118.2 efficiency rating, good for 9th in the NBA, with Butler Curry’s efficiency has gone from a negative correlation to a positive one, according to Poole in an NBC Sports Bay Area page.

“Jimmy has performed at the highest level for many years in our league, especially when the lights

Like Curry, Butler doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective. However, the two superstars have different ways of impacting the game.

To put it simply he doesn’t settle for jump shots, he makes his teammates better and he delivers in the clutch.

Miami Heat head coach, Erik Spoelstra, raved about his former star, according to a Nov. 4, 2021 Miami Herald article.

The combination of Butler’s grit and Curry’s skill bodes for long nights for opposing teams. The forward’s ability and midrange game allow him to be a threat anywhere inside the 3-point

Butler’s physical stature and finesse make him able to be a 3-way scorer. He can drive the lane, kick out to shooters beyond the arc, and

“He’s rugged. He’s physical,” Spoelstra said. “But he has a great knack for going through contact. Those are mini car wrecks when he’s drawing fouls and going to the line.”

The Warriors have gone 16-4 with him in the lineup and 23-7 overall since Butler joined the organization,

It is baffling to think that historically, his numbers with the Miami Heat have increased during his playoff career.

Butler, in his regular season career, notched 18.3 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game and 4.3 assists per game. In contrast, Butler in the playoffs averaged 21.3 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game and 4.6 assists per game in 119 games, according to a BasketballReference page.

ng to think that ly, his numbers his reer in his ason career, 8.3

Warriors Assistant Coach Ron Adams, whose tenure as an NBA coach has lasted more than 30 years, raved about the immediate change in Jimmy Butler’s ability to make his teammates better.

nds and per In Butler in the about the imm in Jimmy Butle teamm He settles ev down and somethin games, ” an intervie Poole. “He’s ma and understands th as striking as the arrival of The orchestrator behind the Butler acquisition is Warriors General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., who was promoted from team executive to general manager for Golden State, to the official Warriors website. Like Curr ball to be effectiv two supersta impa combin and bodes fo The f and mid to ins line. ph

Golden State Head Coach Steve Kerr said Butler’s basketball IQ is another aspect that makes him flourish under the Warriors’ system.

“He just understands the

“He settles everybody down, and that’s something we needed, especially when closing games,” Adams said in an interview with Poole. “He’s made Steph and Draymond better. He understands the game, and the other guys respect his presence.”

Whether or not the Warriors live up to the hype of their former dynasty, the moves they’ve made to build for the next few years can begin to test the waters in the 2024-2025 playoffs.