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Entrance signal and emblem to the campus of the College of Mississippi. Credit score – Getty Pictures
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations on the College of Mississippi turned bitter Thursday as no less than 200 counter protesters taunted their fellow college students with renditions of The Star-Spangled Banner and different tunes, ultimately resulting in the evacuation of scholars on the campus.
A bunch of roughly 50 to 60 pro-Palestinian protesters convened on the varsity’s Quad to demand the varsity’s divestment from Israel and protest the nation’s actions in Gaza following the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas that resulted within the loss of life of 1,139 Israelis and 240 taken hostage. Some 35,000 Palestinians have been killed within the West Financial institution and Gaza since, in line with the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Inside an hour of the protest starting, protesters had been met by the medley of 200 counter protesters who descended upon them and started throwing objects and shouting at them, the Clarion-Ledger experiences.
Video of the confrontation posted to Twitter reveals the big group of counter protesters singing the Nationwide Anthem, drowning out chants made by the pro-Palestine and anti-war protesters. Further on-line footage reveals a group, believed to be frat members, waving an American flag and Trump flag while chanting “We want Trump,” as anti-war protesters could be heard shouting “Free, free Palestine.”
As tensions escalated between the 2 teams, police rushed onto the scene and dispersed the group in entrance of the college’s College of Utilized Sciences. Professional-Palestine protesters had been then led contained in the constructing by police, in line with native experiences.
Ole Miss has not launched an official assertion in regards to the protests, however Jacob Battle, director of media relations for the college, confirmed that the protesters had been evacuated on buses and wouldn’t elaborate on whether or not they had been college students, per the Clarion-Ledger. The preliminary protest was organized by a bunch known as UMiss for Palestine. (The college has mentioned that it doesn’t have direct funding with Israel, Mississippi Today experiences.
Protests at Ole Miss are the newest of dozens sweeping universities throughout the nation as college students voice their discontent with the nation’s involvement within the Israel-Hamas struggle.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves took to Facebook on Thursday to share his consciousness of the college’s demonstrations, including that native regulation enforcement was additionally conscious of the protest.
“Campus police, Metropolis, County, and State property are being deployed and coordinated,” Reeves mentioned within the Thursday morning submit. “We are going to provide a unified response with one mission: Peaceable protests are allowed and guarded – irrespective of how outrageous these protesters’ views could appear to a few of us. However illegal conduct won’t be tolerated. It will likely be handled accordingly. Legislation and order can be maintained!”
The Republican governor later posted a video of the counter protesters on the campus, saying that the footage “warms my coronary heart.”
Contact us at letters@time.com.
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