Joanna Chen

Joanna Chen joined in a chant calling for Israel's destruction while participating in an anti-Israel event at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in November 2023.

The profilee's activism occurred during Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which Israel launched after the October 7, 2023, terror attacks when Hamas murdered nearly 1,200 Israelis, injured thousands and kidnapped hundreds.

As of July 2025, Joanna Chen's LinkedIn profile said she graduated from MIT with a bachelor's degree in urban planning and computer science in June 2025.

MIT CAA Barges Into MISTI Office

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Date: Nov. 6, 2023

Organizers: MIT CAA

Location: MISTI (MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives), MIT, Cambridge, MA

Event Flyer: X.com

At the disruption, activist Savannah Lawrence led the chant: "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free! Free, free Palestine! Long live Palestine!"

“From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free!” is a chant used to call for the elimination of the State of Israel. In April 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the chant as antisemitic.

“Free Palestine!” is a chant used to call for Israel's destruction, acting as a shorter version of "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!" It was shouted during multiple deadly attacks on pro-Israel activists in 2025 in America. It has been used to vandalize synagogues and other Jewish buildings, and has been described as a "battle cry for the death of Jews.”