After a day of demonstrations and discussions, participants of the Occupy OhioU movement rallied, marched and concluded with a candlelit peace vigil as the sun set at the top of Morton Hill last night.
The peace and anti-war march and vigil were the first large-scale demonstration associated with Occupy OhioU. Several speakers presented to about 30 people at a rally at the Scripps Amphitheater before participants marched to the top of Morton Hill for a candlelit vigil to share their anti-war message.
Students, faculty and Athens residents have “occupied” the vacant area that used to house the Oasis dining facility in a weeklong demonstration that mimics the Occupy Wall Street protests. The demonstrators hope to bring the New York City protestors’ complaints of big government and corporate greed to Ohio University’s campus.
At the peace rally, Ellie Hamrick, a representative from the OU student organization STAND Against Genocide, spoke about the current war with the democratic republic of Congo, the deadliest since World War II.
“It’s a huge and largely overlooked issue, and something students are linked to through the products we buy,” she said. “I think most people already recognize war is destructive, but I hope people realize we have the power to make a difference.”
Akil Houston, a professor of African American Studies, also spoke at the rally.
“People should be aware of what’s going on, regardless of their political perspective,” he said.
Houston said he believes the demonstration gives everyone an opportunity to assess their own lives and think about the possibility of transformation.
“We are all solutionaries … people whose lives are built around solutions,” he said.
Reverend Evan Young, campus minister for United Campus Ministries, led the night’s remaining demonstrations.
“This movement is not about peace and not about war,” Young said. “It’s about justice.”
Young preached that the “Occupy” movements, which began in New York City with Occupy Wall Street and have spread across the world in smaller demonstrations like Occupy OhioU, stem from problems that are present all around the world.
“What we’re experiencing right now around the world is the succession of the successful,” he said.
The rally led directly into a peace march. About 20 demonstrators marched from the amphitheater down to Park Place and finishing in their occupying area at the top of Morton Hill, chanting “No justice, no peace, U.S. out of the Middle East” along the way.
The night of events ended with a candlelight vigil during which the remaining demonstrators stood in a circle and shared various faith traditions and prayers for peace.
Occupy OhioU participants also gathered outside the courthouse yesterday to protest big bank bailouts and corporate influences, said Tyler Barton, a senior studying chemistry who helped organize the week’s Occupy OhioU events.
After a band not affiliated with Occupy OhioU disrupted a court procedure, the sheriff asked the group to relocate, and the demonstrators moved across the street in front of Chase Bank, Barton said.
The bank manager then asked participants to not lean against the building because it is private property, Barton added.
At the end of the midday demonstration, a police officer asked the group not to block entrances.
Barton said that although there was some negative feedback from those passing by the occupy headquarters throughout the day, it did not affect any planned events.
“In my opinion, it goes to show we are doing something right,” he said. “The whole point of this is to cause people to have discussions and engage with each other.”
Professors offered lectures throughout the day as part of the “Free School” series being offered as part of the Occupy OhioU demonstrations by Defend Education Ohio, which was created last winter to bring a new wave of education activism to OU.
Additional speakers have been scheduled to visit the old Oasis spot throughout the week and address topics including private property, consumerism, queer activism and bailouts.
“I found the day to be really successful with a lot of presenters having good things to say combined with good conversations and a great student and community member turnout,” Barton said.
af234909@ohiou.edu
