CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Students at UNC Charlotte joined thousands of others at campuses across the country Thursday to protest the Israel-Hamas war.
The protest took place in front of Mebane Hall, where demonstrators denounced "a genocide against Palestinians." Many students were holding up Palestinian flags and signs that said "End the genocide in Gaza."
Some students who walked by the protest told WCNC Charlotte that this wasn't the first day they protested about the conflict; others questioned whether the protests were effective.
"It's really interesting," UNC Charlotte student Colin Brown told WCNC Charlotte. "For a lot of people, I think it kinda scares them, more than it does educate them. I think it's interesting to take such a strong stance on Palestine or Israel. For me, I'm kind of in the middle."
Protests on some campuses have led to standoffs with the police. At several universities, there have been mass arrests over the past week, which has spurred more protests around the county. At Columbia University, protestors set up tent encampments, leading to over 100 arrests Thursday.
Many students, including those who belong to the UNC Charlotte Student Government Association, are calling for the schools to divest from companies with ties to Israel.