A group of around 40 people, including many Penn State students, took to Old Main on Tuesday to protest Isreali military action in Gaza and the United States’ role in the Middle Eastern conflict.

Organized by the Students for Justice in Palestine, the “week of rage” will last all week on campus to protest the broken ceasefire agreement between the Israeli government and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Protestors also spoke about the presence of Zionism in State College, the dismantling of DEI programs at universities nationwide, increased immigration enforcement, and the rise of bigotry across the country.

Protesters began arriving at Old Main just before 11:45 a.m., while the protest began around 20 minutes later.

“We are angry that our university refuses to do anything to protect us in the effects of fascism,” one speaker said during the protest.

Protestors held up several signs in support of their cause, with messages such as “Exist, return, resist,” “From the river to a sea, Palestine will be free,” “Lebanon + Palestine will not be broken,” “Resistance until liberation,” and more.

The group also expressed its concerns about DEI programs being dismantled on college campuses across America. While Penn State has not stepped away from diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives, protestors expressed fears that it would happen.

Protestors also spoke about immigration enforcement on campus, telling ICE to leave Penn State and speaking about students at other universities who have been detained by immigration enforcement. There have been no reported incidents of ICE activities at Penn State since immigration crackdowns began in January.

The protestors left just before 1 p.m. after promising more events to come later in the week.

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