Catholic demonstrators join pro-Palestine encampment at George Washington University campus in US capital

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - A group of Catholic demonstrators joined a pro-Palestine encampment at George Washington University (GW) on Tuesday as a student protest entered its sixth day.

Seven people holding signs with messages like "Catholics say ceasefire now” stood outside the entrance of GW’s University Yard, where students maintained the encampment despite widespread crackdowns on university protests across the country.

Laurie Gagne, a retired professor who taught theology at St. Michael’s College in Vermont, said this is "exactly the kind of stance" that she encourages her students to take.

"I taught them to be critical thinkers, to challenge our government when its policies are not moral. I absolutely believe that the killing of innocent civilians is a war crime," she told Anadolu.

"And I'm appalled that my government is complicit by supplying all these weapons. So I stand with these students," she added.

Noting that she has been to GW’s encampment several times since it was set up early Thursday by students, she said she has never seen any hate speech among the protestors.

"I have been met with welcome...This is a wonderful example of non-violent action," she added.

"It's not even civil disobedience because they're not breaking any laws. And I'm just thrilled that the students are taking the lead in this," she said.

Recalling her visit to Palestine in 2018 as a member of a peace team, she said she became aware at that time of "how oppressed the Palestinians are by the Israeli occupation.”

"I've been speaking out on their behalf ever since," she explained, while also expressing outrage over Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza and the killing of nearly 35,000 Palestinians since the Palestinian group Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack which killed nearly 1,200 people.

Students from various Washington-based universities along with academics and activists gathered at the GW campus, located just over three blocks from the White House, for a sixth day to express solidarity with Palestinians.

Several students told Anadolu that they will not leave the encampment until their demands are met, including a call on the university administration to immediately divest from Israeli companies.

Barricades around the encampment which were erected by police early Friday were removed by student protestors after police attempted to arrest one protestor, the students said.

Protests are sweeping college campuses nationwide following a police attempt to clear a pro-Palestine encampment at Columbia University in New York, resulting in the arrest of over 100 students.

Hundreds of students have since been arrested on campuses, with protests demanding universities divest from Israel and condemn its onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip.

Students in several other countries including Canada, Australia, France and Egypt have also organized demonstrations at their universities in solidarity with Palestine.