On Oct. 3, at around 6:30 p.m., a group of over 150 students and other members of the Pittsburgh community marched to the Forbes and Morewood intersection in protest of the ongoing conflict and civilian deaths in Gaza. Protesters carried Palestinian flags and signs calling for “Biden-Harris [to] end weapons shipments to Israel now,” “no U.S.-Israeli war in Lebanon,” and “permanent cease-fire now.” Many wore keffiyehs of various colors to indicate their solidarity.
Once stationed at the intersection, a number of the protesters laid on the ground in the middle of the street, surrounded by a circle of supporters. These individuals represented the mounting number of victims of Israel-inflicted violence in Gaza — it was a “die-in.”
One protester walked around and through those lying on the ground with a megaphone. They urgently expressed the impact of the war that has worn on for a year and voiced the demands of the protesters.
On each side of the protest, Carnegie Mellon Police vehicles could be seen keeping watch and blocking oncoming traffic from Forbes and Morewood Avenues. A small group of around six individuals stood close to an Israeli flag flying near the driveway between the Alpha Epsilon Pi house and the Alumni House. There appeared to be an external security vehicle nearby.
The size and gravity of this demonstration, one of several in recent weeks, underscored the importance of reflecting on the events of the past year. Oct. 7 marks one year since Hamas attacked Israel and killed over 1,000 people. As the Carnegie Mellon community continues to be impacted by the ongoing war, campus activism acts as a guide to the issues that matter most to students.
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