Maya Shankar

Maya Shankar is an international student from Barcelona, Spain, currently enrolled as a JD candidate at Temple University. Shankar has become a visible activist in Philadelphia’s radical anti-Zionist scene, participating in and speaking at multiple pro-Hamas rallies and encampments. She is a founding force in Temple’s Law Students for Justice in Palestine (LSJP) and has consistently aligned herself with movements that glorify “resistance,” normalize extremist rhetoric, and defend BDS as a framework of activism.

Her social media reinforces her ideology: Shankar’s Instagram bio includes the watermelon emoji (a popularized symbol of anti-Zionist “resistance”), the communist hammer-and-sickle, and the chant “From the River to the Sea,” a slogan widely recognized as a call for Israel’s elimination.

Organizational Affiliations

• Law Students for Justice in Palestine (LSJP) – Temple University

  • Co-Founder and President (as of March 2025)

• Philly Palestine Coalition (PPC) – Frequent participant in their rallies/encampments

• Temple Students for Justice in Palestine (Temple SJP) – Affiliated collaborator

Documented Actions & Activities

Major Protests & Encampments

• Penn Gaza Solidarity Encampment (April–May 2024):

  • April 25, 2024 – Opening Day: Spoke publicly at Penn’s “Gaza Solidarity Encampment,” organized by the PPC.

  • May 6, 2024 – Day 12: Continued active participation in the encampment, which was explicitly tied to the BDS movement.

Rallies & Demonstrations

• All Out for Gaza – Philadelphia City Hall (Oct 21, 2023):

  • Took part in a pro-Hamas rally where chants included:

    • “There is only one solution, Intifada revolution!”

    • “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!”

  • Rally praised Hamas leaders and invoked martyrdom slogans in Arabic.

• Rally for Gaza – Norris Square Park (Feb 17, 2024):

  • Participated in an event organized by PYM and PSL Philly, both groups with long-standing extremist alignments.

• “Die-In for Rafah” – Temple University (Feb 21, 2024):

  • Joined Temple SJP and PPC at Temple’s Charles Library in staging a “die-in,” portraying Israel as a genocidal force while glorifying “resistance.”

Social Media & Public Persona

• Instagram Bio (Jan 2025):

  • “Maya Shankar 🍉 … ☭ … From the River to the Sea…”

  • Symbolism:

    • 🍉 = anti-Zionist “resistance” icon, popularized after Hamas’ Oct 7 attacks

    • ☭ = alignment with far-left revolutionary movements

    • “From the River to the Sea” = eliminationist chant

• LinkedIn (Jan–Mar 2025):

  • International student from Barcelona, Spain

  • Based in Philadelphia, PA

  • Co-Founder & President of Temple LSJP

Assessment

Risk Level: Elevated
Maya Shankar has emerged as one of the most vocal pro-BDS and anti-Zionist student leaders in Philadelphia. Her consistent participation in rallies glorifying intifada and Hamas-linked slogans, combined with her founding role in LSJP, positions her as an organizer intent on embedding radical activism within law school networks. By using her international student platform, she amplifies narratives that normalize support for terrorism under the guise of “resistance.”