Campus protests: What happened Monday at Emory, UGA, Morehouse, Ga. Southern

Dozens of Pro-Palestinian protesters chant as they cross the iconic arch on the University of Georgia campus in Athens following arrests on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Miguel Martinez / AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Dozens of Pro-Palestinian protesters chant as they cross the iconic arch on the University of Georgia campus in Athens following arrests on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Miguel Martinez / AJC)

Protests against the Israel-Hamas war continued this week on college campuses across the U.S., including here in Georgia. Here’s a quick look at what happened Monday.

EMORY UNIVERISTY

Student protesters turned out for a fifth day on the metro Atlanta campus, gathering again on the quad, where law enforcement officers arrested some of the demonstrators on Thursday. On Monday morning, Emory University President Gregory L. Fenves apologized to the college community in a message for mischaracterizing those on the first day as “outside protesters.” He added that Emory is launching a “thorough review” of Thursday’s events and how they were handled.

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Early in the morning, protesters began erecting tents and a barricade, blocking sidewalks and building entrances, and using amplified sound. University of Georgia officials said campus regulations prohibit camping and disrupting university activities. After “multiple” warnings that protesters would be charged with trespassing, UGA police stepped in and made arrests. At a larger rally later in the day, police hadn’t made any new arrests as of early Monday evening.

MOREHOUSE COLLEGE

There were no protests at the Atlanta HBCU, but concerns continue to grow that President Joe Biden’s commencement speech on May 19 will surely draw crowds of demonstrators. On Monday, a top Morehouse official told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the college is not rescinding its invitation Biden. Morehouse Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Kendrick Brown appeared on the AJC’s Politically Georgia show.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY

While protesters were indeed out at the Statesboro campus, the issue being spotlighted was not war but to object to a recent series of moves made by the university’s leaders that participants say “erases” the LGBTQ community. No students used the LGBTQ protests to promote other causes.

» Check out our live coverage as events unfolded during the day, plus updates from other U.S. college campuses.