(RepublicanReport.org) – Ever since Israel retaliated against Hamas for its October 7 surprise attack, there has been a contentious debate surrounding the conflict in the Middle East. Many are concerned about the Jewish state’s actions in pushing civilians in Gaza out of their homes, destroying their land, and essentially cutting off all ties to basic necessities. In the United States, several pro-Palestine protests have emerged across the country, and they’re extremely prominent on college campuses. In Washington, DC, the demonstrators have taken it upon themselves to deface a famous statue.
George Washington Statues Defaced
The George Washington University Campus in DC features two statues of the country’s first president, honoring the leader and the college’s namesake. However, those landmarks became the subject of the demonstrators’ frustration with the situation in Gaza. Video footage of one of the statues went viral on X, formerly Twitter, with nearly 75,000 views as of the time of writing. It shows the historical figure wearing a Palestinian flag as a cape and is defaced with several pro-Palestine stickers.
Protesters have draped a Palestinian flag around a statue of George Washington on the GWU campus in DC.
“Genocidal Warmongering University” is written in paint on the base of the statue. pic.twitter.com/ks3H9HuRZl
— Virginia Allen (@Virginia_Allen5) April 29, 2024
These stickers read “Rise, Love, Resist,” “Anti-Fascist Action,” and “End the Genocide Free Palestine.” There are also spray-painted messages along the base of the statue, with an apparent renaming of the university, “Genocidal Warmongering University.” The second statue was also defaced with paint, with “Free Gaza” and “DC stands for liberation” messages marring the stone.
Sent from @GWtweets: Protesters have defaced the statue of George Washington at the edge of campus. pic.twitter.com/tWW2LDJ8Py
— Zach Kessel (@zach_kessel) April 28, 2024
Like Columbia University in New York, protestors at George Washington University in DC have set up an encampment. The institution’s officials have called it “an egregious violation of community trust,” noting that it “goes far beyond the boundaries of free expression and the right to protest.”
Other Campus Protests
The pro-Palestine demonstrations aren’t limited to DC or New York, where Columbia University is considered Ground Zero. They have expanded to Virginia, Texas, Atlanta, Boston, and California. Students and activists have taken over campus grounds, calling on politicians to do more for the people of Gaza.
At Columbia University, students even took over a building, which prompted the administrators to threaten expulsion. NYPD has been arresting demonstrators at this campus and others in the country. Many are showing up in riot gear, forcibly removing the protestors from the grounds. Hundreds of people have been arrested, and it’s not looking like it’s going to ease up anytime soon.
President Joe Biden, who has remained largely mum about the issue, spoke up on Thursday, May 2, saying that while “Dissent is essential for democracy … [it] must never lead to disorder.”
Copyright 2024, RepublicanReport.org
