“If we don’t get no justice, you don’t get no peace,” was the chant ringing out from a crowd of protesters on the steps of South Building early Wednesday afternoon. Carrying drums, pots, party favors, whistles and homemade shakers, the protesters were part of the most recent effort to get the University to remove Silent Sam from its spot on McCorkle Place.
“This noise demonstration is just another part of our tactics in general to try and get Chancellor Folt to recognize that we’re here," said junior Tahjamare Warren, an organizer of the event. "There is a group of people and a voice of people that want the statue taken down so she can no longer ignore us."
The protesters did their best to attract the attention of those inside South Building, chanting “where are you Carol?” in an attempt to get Chancellor Carol Folt to speak with them. While people in the building watched through the windows, but no one came out to talk with the protesters.
The noise attracted the attention of many students, with a few stopping to watch. One of those students was senior Elliot Shain, who was there with some people from his global studies class on social movements.
“I hope the protest will help change happen, will help take it down,” Shain said. “I think the statue has to come down. I think its place is in a museum, not on campus.”
In order to attract more support and increase visibility, the protesters marched around Polk Place during the class changeover. Chanting “Hey hey! Ho ho! This racist statue’s got to go,” the procession attracted a lot of attention and had students stopping to take pictures and videos as the marchers progressed. Upon returning to the steps of South Building, Warren read a poem she wrote on how Silent Sam acts as a sign of continued oppression of students of color on campus.
Until the statue is removed the protesters do not plan on stopping, Warren said.
“We have different things planned, different forms of peaceful protesting,” Warren said. “So whatever you think of when you think of peaceful protesting. What does that look like? Think of MLK, think of the Civil Rights Movement. We’re going to be doing this until the statue comes down.”
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