Students, faculty, locals gather at Emory for 2nd day of protests
A milling crowd coalesced as organized chants began on Emory University’s quad around 5 p.m. Friday. It’s the second day large groups of protesters have convened on the campus.
One of the first speakers of the evening said that gatherings would continue every day until the protesters’ goals were accomplished, including divestment from companies with ties to Israel and the planned Atlanta public safety training center. The crowd cheered at the prospect of future protests as helicopters circled overhead.
Hundreds moved onto the quad at the request of organizers and circled around a loudspeaker as speeches and chants began.
Jalyse Garcia, a student with the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, said her organization was supporting the event by providing food and water. She stood with a group behind a table where volunteers distributed bottled water and snacks.
Several faculty members wore signs identifying themselves as “faculty observers.” Some also had signs taped to their shirts stating, “Hands off our students.”
Outside the Candler School of Theology building, local faith leaders from the Atlanta Multifaith Coalition for Palestine read the names of people killed in Gaza.
About the Authors
Henri Hollis is a reporter and restaurant critic for the Food & Dining team. Formerly a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on food and restaurants, he joined the AJC full-time in January 2021, first covering breaking news. He is a lifelong Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia Tech.
Josh Reyes covers Gwinnett County Public Schools for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A native of Virginia, he wrote about local government and public safety at the Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot. He graduated from Christopher Newport University with a B.A. in English.
