As fans walked up South Crouse Avenue to go to the football game against Duke University at noon on Saturday, protesters from THE General Body chanted outside of Crouse-Hinds Hall in solidarity with protesters in the sit-in.

Thirty-five protesters chanted for an hour on the small hill next to Crouse-Hinds Hall to stand in solidarity with students who are staying inside for the sit-in this weekend. Protesters staying inside Crouse-Hinds can leave but aren’t allowed to re-enter until Monday morning. Protesters participating in the sit-in have been inside the building since it was locked at 5 p.m. on Friday, during normal closing hours.

Protesters have been inside the Crouse-Hinds lobby since Monday afternoon, when they delivered a 43-page document consisting of grievances and demands to administrators following the Diversity and Transparency Rally on Monday afternoon. Chancellor Kent Syverud met with members of THE General Body, the student coalition behind the movement, on Wednesday. Administrators have twice submitted written responses to the protesters’ demands but the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement to end the sit-in, which is now in its sixth day.

As protesters chanted outside, students inside Crouse-Hinds held signs up to the windows facing the protesters.

Outside, protesters chanted several phrases such as, “The students united will never be defeated!” You can’t stop the revolution” and “We too are SU!”

Protesters outside also held signs that read, “Faculty support THE General Body” and “Staff & alumni support THE General Body.”

As protesters continued to chant, some people passing by Crouse-Hinds Hall on their way to the Carrier Dome danced to their chants, while some insulted the protesters.

“You guys suck!” shouted one passerby at the protesters. One protester responded and said, “thank you!”

Jason Markins was one of the outside protesters participating in the solidarity rally. Markins, a graduate student in the composition and cultural rhetoric program, said protesters showed up to give their support and love to those participating in the sit-in.

“That’s why we’re here, to show them that we understand they are sleeping on brick floors, that they’re struggling between classes and protesting,” he said. “I’ve been overwhelmed by how professional, how respectful and how amazing these protesters have been and that’s why I’m out here trying to do what I can to support them.”

According to THE General Body twitter account, members of the negotiation team were scheduled to meet with University College Dean Bea Gonzalez, the liaison between Syverud and the protesters, on Saturday afternoon.

Published on November 8, 2014 at 2:29 pm

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