Anti-Israel protesters projected President Joe Biden’s face over an American flag that was hanging from a building behind their encampment at George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, DC.
Biden’s face, with the words “Genocide Joe,” was projected across an American flag that the university had hung from Lisner Hall, an academic building behind the encampment Friday afternoon.
incredible scenes https://t.co/AVzjBG1Owd pic.twitter.com/qtY9TjmLnN
— pranay somayajula 🇵🇸 (@p_somayajula) May 4, 2024
Protesters at the encampment could be heard chanting, “Long live the intifada” as Biden’s face was projected onto the flag.
George Washington University encampment.
Some people dropped a massive American flag to mock the protesters and the protesters projected “Genocide Joe” on the flag. pic.twitter.com/sAcDBk9LK7
— Jack (@JackFought_1) May 4, 2024
Protesters at the encampment were also heard renaming the university’s U-Yard as, “Shahada Square.”
“We reject the terms that our Imperialist, Colonialist, Colonialist Overlords have chosen for us,” a speaker was heard saying. “We name s**t for ourselves and we do it to honor our martyrs. From today on, this is Shahada Square.”
BREAKING: George Washington University’s U Yard has been “renamed” Shohada Square, effectively Martyrs Square.
“We reject the terms that our Imperialist, Colonialist, Colonialist Overlords have chosen for us. We name shit for ourselves and we do it to honor our martyrs.” pic.twitter.com/VgpU78LsKC
— Stu (@thestustustudio) May 4, 2024
The anti-Israel encampment was established at GWU on April 25 and is one of many protests and encampments that have sprouted up on college and university campuses in support of an initial encampment that was established at Columbia University on April 17.
The day after the encampment at Columbia University was first established, several students were suspended and hundreds of protesters involved were arrested.
While Columbia University got rid of the first encampment, another one was formed and stayed until the New York Police Department conducted a raid at the university hours after protesters seized control of Hamilton Hall.
Protesters involved in the encampment at GWU have, among other things, defaced the statue of George Washington with the words, “Geoncidal Warmongering University,” written at the base of the statue and across the top half of the plaque.
The statue also has a Palestinian flag draped in the back.
Protesters involved in the various encampments and protests have issued a variety of demands, which include divesting from Israeli companies, ending academic ties with Israeli educational institutions, ending academic student trips to Israel, providing full amnesty to protesters who have faced criminal charges or academic disciplinary action, and a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.