Social media pictures of four George Washington University students’ anti-Israel messages projected onto the school’s library caused an uproar late Tuesday night.
The non-profit group StopAntisemitism.org posted the images, which contained phrases like “Glory to our martyrs,” “Divestment from Zionist genocide now,” and “Free Palestine from the river to the sea,” on social media.
According to The GW Hatchet, after two hours of the demonstration by Students for Justice in Palestine, the dean of students requested that officials shut it down. StopAntisemitism later posted a video of four students arguing with GW cops about whether their actions were permissible under the Code of Student Conduct.
One of the officers says, “So you can stop willingly and calmly and peacefully, or we’re just going to take it down. Those are your two options.” The four students complied shortly after. A representative for SJP later claimed the university had “consistently shown that they do not respect our lives… They do not respect our right to organize against the ongoing genocide that is happening to our people.”
In a Wednesday statement, GWU said the projections “violated university policy... We recognize the distress, hurt, and pain this has caused for many members of our community.”
George Washington University - students are projecting horrifying messages onto a school library building glorifying Hamas terrorists that beheaded babies, raped teenage girls, and murdered 1400+ people.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 25, 2023
We call on President @PresidentofGW to immediately expel those involved.… pic.twitter.com/tecz0R7zF2