Members of the Elon University community gathered on campus March 12 to walk in solidarity with and for victims of oppression. The march was organized by Students for Peace and Justice roughly one week after the International Day of Action, during which protestors gathered worldwide to demand an immediate ceasefire of the Israel-Hamas War. Events took place in Asheville, Charlotte and Raleigh — as well as in over 116 cities around the world.
Participants at Elon met together with signs and traditional Middle Eastern shemagh scarves. They marched twice on the designated route through Global and Loy neighborhoods. Yet at one point during the march, participants were met with shouts against Hamas — the armed Palestinian militant group that governs much of the Gaza strip — from a passer-by.
The students came together to support Palestinian, Congolese, Sudanese and other countries subject to oppression. Since the start of the Oct. 7 Israel-Hamas war, Elon students have gathered in support of Jewish communities.
But senior Kara McKinley said she feels that people on campus have not been informed enough of the war by faculty, staff or other students.
“A lot of people are still afraid to call it what it is, a genocide against the Palestinian people,” McKinley said. “A lot of people conflate supporting the people of Palestine as supporting Hamas, and this is absolutely not the case. Hamas doesn’t represent all of Palestine, they are a radical and violent faction that doesn’t speak for or act on behalf of all Palestinians.”
During the event, demonstrators started yelling “stop killing women, stop killing children” upon the second time of walking the route. Campus security officers stayed close to the group in case any disruptions happened on campus. Tour groups and other community members stopped to watch the walk.
“I hope they know that we are here, and that there are so many people who want to show up for others,” McKinley said “There are so many different ways to speak up against oppression, and I hope they learned to lean away from silence.”
Campus security officers watch people gather on Medallion Plaza on March 12 to advocate for the ceasefire of the Israel-Hamas War.
The walk was scheduled during the university’s “college coffee,” a weekly tradition for coffee and pastries at Phi Beta Kappa Commons in academic village. All organization events must be approved by the university as it is a private institution. Students joined in as classes were ending. According to the organizer, there were an estimated 50 people there.
“I feel very grounded and excited that there’s so many people that want to engage in advocating for peace and justice,” Students for Peace and Justice organizer Madeline Mitchener said.
Senior Lauren Hill said in previous Elon News Network coverage that Elon students were looking to organize events on campus to talk about the war. The Students for Peace and Justice meet Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in Linder Hall to talk about and plan the events.
“I encourage the university, students, faculty and staff not to silence or stifle student voices, but rather to create open conversations,” McKinley said. “Silence helps no one.”