Pro-Palestinian demonstrations were met with counter-protesters on the Statesboro Campus Thursday afternoon in the Rotunda. A Pro-Palestinian rally was also held on the Armstrong campus on Thursday.
The event included various speakers and chants, showing support for Palestinians living in Gaza. Organizers with the pro-Palestinian rally confirmed Thursday’s event was in solidarity with other pro-Palestinian demonstrations happening on college campuses across the country.
“Today we are rallying in support of our fellow students and factuality showing that this is an issue Georgia Southern students care about,” said Logan Collins, an organizer with the pro-Palestinian group.
Alex Reece, one of the rally’s organizers, said in a statement “We’re a group of students who find it important to use our voices to show support for Palestine. Our goals for this rally are to show our peers and school that the terror happening in Gaza is something we’re deeply against and to spread awareness of what is happening, as well as show our support for other student activities across the nation.”
Directly across the Rotunda, counter-protesters gathered. One of the counter protesters, Jacob Russell, voiced his reasons for attending the rally. “I’m out here to show my solidarity with America, I’m very pro-America and not to disrespect any people out here, I just think they are wrong in their stances and when you talk about genocide you can’t talk about it one way,” said Russell.
“My sign says ‘Fix Our Country First’. We should be more worried about the economic downfall of our country as a whole instead of worrying about trying to free some other country run by terrorists,” said Landon Owenby.
Counter-protesters were seen brandishing American and Israeli flags in retaliation to chants from the pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Soon after, counter-protestors draped the flags over themselves and ran up to the Rotunda stage. After a brief period, they exited the stage without any conflict occurring.
Sierra Shumake highlighted the success of the rally, citing how the demonstration was completely led by students for the support of the Palestinian people.
Although the event was ultimately peaceful, the tension was palpable between the pro-Palestinian supporters and counter-protestors.
George-Anne Staffer John Wright has written extensively on the War in Gaza and its implications in the United States.
