A group of students, faculty and community members gathered on Virginia Tech’s campus Friday, joining students at campuses across the country who are protesting the war in Gaza.
At least 70 people gathered with signs and banners that read “ceasefire now” and “Palestine will be free.” Some set up tents and brought blankets and food, and say they plan to remain as long as possible.
Imon Green is one of a small group of people who organized this small, peaceful protest.
“We also stand against anti-Semitism and anything that resembles anti-Semitism,” Green said. “We stand firmly against and we fight against it as well. Because none of us are free until all of us [are] free.”
In the afternoon, members of a local mosque held Friday prayers in the encampment.
Hesham Rakah works at Virginia Tech, and said he’s glad to see students and faculty turning out to show support for innocent people who are being killed.
“Over 40 thousand people killed, most of them women and children and, I mean, it’s a genocide,” Rakah said. “However way you want to slice it, it’s a genocide.”
The protestors sat peacefully, and quietly, during the day.
Virginia Tech issued a statement, saying the event was not a registered event and isn’t compliant with University policy. At the time when this story was published, law enforcement have not removed any students.
