COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hundreds of people gathered at Ohio State’s campus Wednesday evening to protest the Israel-Hamas war.
Multiple groups gathered on campus starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the South Oval, where dozens were arrested last week after setting up an encampment, our news partners at WBNS reported.
Many of the attendees brought signs and flags in support of Palestine.
The protesters said they’re calling on the university to meet five demands. Those demands include financial divestment from Israel, an academic boycott from Israeli institutions, financial disclosure from the university, acknowledgment that there is a genocide happening, and putting an end to police presence on campus.
Wednesday’s protest lasted over three hours, and most attendees voluntarily dispersed around 9:30 p.m.
Ben Johnson, a spokesperson for Ohio State University said University officials were aware of Wednesday’s planned protest. In response to what has occurred at other protests across the country, the university locked some buildings but they remained open for business.
“This proactive measure is intended to allow university employees to continue their work and best maintain safety on campus. Individuals with meetings in a locked building should follow the directions posted on the door,” Johnson said.
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Johnson said university police and trained staff will be at the demonstrations.
“We communicate about freedom of expression frequently, encouraging individuals to stand up for what they believe in while reminding them that if protected speech becomes incitement or threats of violence, we will move quickly to enforce the law and university policy,” Johnson said.
On April 25, 36 people were arrested and charged with criminal trespass from a gathering. 16 of them were students and the other 20 were not affiliated with the University.
Ohio State University President Ted Carter issued a statement earlier this week saying that rules will continue to be enforced. He said encampments create a need for around-the-clock safety and security resources – taking resources away from the rest of the community.
Dozens of campus protests have occurred at colleges across the country. The students are calling for universities to separate themselves from any companies that are advancing Israel’s military efforts in Gaza and in some cases from Israel itself.
Columbia University became the driving force behind nationwide protests over the war in Gaza when students set up an encampment at the university on April 17.
Similar protests have since popped up across the country. Most recently, dozens of protestors took over an academic building on Columbia’s campus, causing NYPD officers to storm the building and clear out the protestors.
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