A group of students sparked public outrage after they started projecting messages praising Hamas militants as “martyrs” on their university library.
George Washington University students set up a protest against the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, screening pro-Palestine and pro-Hamas slogans at the very top of the building.
Photos of the incident show the sentence “Glory to our Martyrs” taking over a side wall of the library.
Other slogans projected by the group included “Free Palestine from the river to the sea” and “Divestment from Zionist genocide now.”
Footage showed four of the protesters sitting down in front of the building being confronted by the police but they still refused to leave the scene.
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The students and two officers can be seen talking amicably about the situation, with one of the protesters even contending that they were not damaging any university property and should be allowed to continue with their demonstration.
The stunt sparked the ire of the StopAntisemitism organisation, which demanded immediate action from the school president.
Sharing images of the protest on X, formerly Twitter, they said: “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.
“We call on President @PresidentofGW to immediately expel those involved.”
GWU President Ellen M Granberg shared an appeal for “compassion and understanding” with students and staff only last week – urging everyone to be mindful of the impact the ongoing war has had and will have regardless of national or religious affiliation.
She wrote: “The right to free speech, assembly, and debate is the foundation on which our nation and our university are built, and members of the GW community, including our student organizations, have the right to be vocal and engaged within the boundaries of the law and our university policies.
“However, we are also a shared community, and I not only condemn terrorism, but I also abhor the celebration of terrorism and attempts to perpetuate rhetoric or imagery that glorifies acts of violence.
“Such messages do not speak on behalf of me, our administrators, or GW.”
The shocking protest comes as Israel and Hamas militants continue to engage in a bitter fight as the international community works together to secure the liberation of civilians taken hostage during the October 7 incursion.
