The Ghost of May 4: Protest at Kent then and now

Students across the nation have been stepping out of dorm rooms with black and white keffiyeh wrapping their faces, the black, white, green and little red triangle palestine flag or cardboard signs with phrases saying “From the River to the Sea..”,“ End the Occupation…” all ending with the same claim “Palestine will be Free!” clutched in their hands.  Kent State students did just the same thing, down below a horseshoe shaped hill that enclosed the Kent State May 4, 1970 remembrance ceremony. The protester stood, circling the event silently. 

Speaking to Ahmad, a planning derector with the KSU Studentd for Justice in Palestine, the organizer for the protest, he spoke about why he and so many other students were there. “They are not listening to us,” he said, squinting from the sun that painted his face with anguish. He elaborated that kent state didn't even seem to be interested in talking to the student, they had sent a referendum that went nowhere and none of their pleas to divest from all israeli related investment fell on deaf ears. 

But, history repeated itself some say; On May 4 1970 the national guard was called down and subsequently killed four students protesting the Vietnam War and with the shadow of that day looming over, seeming to manifest itself in the eyes and movement of the palestinian protesters, they could no longer be ignored. The speeches made by Sophia Swengal, president of the May 4 task Force, commemorated the protesters and condemned ongoing arrests made against protesters all over the nation. 

After the event was over, the protesters moved, crowded and clustered together marching and chanting”Free, Free, Free Palestine!”  towards the nearby bell, “For what it worth” by Buffalo Springfield  played eerily in the background; the ghost of the past could be felt dragging it way through the entire campus. 

Some gave speeches like Yazun Issawi and Yassen Shaikh, the president and vice president of the KSU SJU respectively, along with an alumni who has been fighting for the cause since the 90s. 

Afterwards the crowd dispersed with the ringing of the bell, questions like “did this do anything?” and “What will happen next?” loomed about as the bells ring echoed in everyone's ears.