A full year after protesters were pepper sprayed and seven Binghamton University students were arrested during an anti-war protest on Vestal Parkway, the Anti-War Action Coalition and Experimental Media Organization/Student Action Collective (EMO/SAC) returned for another rally and march around campus, with a slightly different message.
“The main purpose was not only to protest the war in Iraq, but to make people aware of the connections that Binghamton University has to these wars,” said Kevin Koval, a freshman member of EMO/SAC.
Among the many signs protesters held were some which named companies such as Caterpillar, Boeing and Lockheed Martin as war profiteers and contributors to BU.
“Lockheed Martin is the No. 1 arms dealership in the country and they donate a tremendous amount of money to the University,” said Sherry Ashkins, a member of EMO/SAC and one of the leaders of the protest. “The University is benefiting from companies who profit from death and destruction.”
March 20 marks the sixth anniversary of invasion into Iraq.
The rally started off slowly, eventually building up to around 30 protesters, short of the 60 who attended last year. Many of the protesters claim the lower turnout may be because of the University’s censorship through B-Line.
“One of the members of the group sent out a message to B-Line, and they took out a statement that spoke about the University connections to the war,” Koval said.
Standing beside the fountain, one member of the audience was not pleased with a sign which read “Fuck the Police.”
“I’m just trying to listen, figure out what they’re talking about,” said senior Lacey Heter. “I’m a little pissed about the guy holding the sign about the police, it really bothers me.”
With signs reading “Bush Broke the Law,” chants of “Fund education, not occupation” and eerie white masks representing the dead, the protesters began their march, which first went through Lecture Hall.
As they entered the Glenn G. Bartle Library, the protests began to grow louder until a student yelled out, “Yo, shut up, we’re trying to do our work! Are you serious?”
Other library dwellers were also peeved.
“I feel like it’s a little obnoxious to do it in the library,” said Frank Ferraioli, a sophomore who was studying in the library at the time.
From the library, the protesters moved on to the New University Union and into the food court. Their voices seemed to dim until they moved in front of a full dining area, where they stayed for some time. Reaction from their audience was minimal.
Another major stop for the protesters was the Couper Administration Building, where they drew an audience of faculty and New York State University Police alike in the lobby. Protesters shouted, “Lois DeFleur, maybe you should cut your salary,” and “Shame on you, DeFleur!”
This year’s rally ran more smoothly than last year’s, though with fewer participants.
“I think we were very respectful and it was overall a successful action,” Koval said.