SUNY Fredonia students protested Israel’s war in Gaza Thursday. P-J photo

The nationwide college protests over Israel’s war in Gaza made it to Chautauqua County Thursday.

SUNY Fredonia students staged a sit-in on University Commons in the center of campus. About a dozen were there around 10:30 a.m.

An anonymous emailer, associated with the protest group calling itself Fredonia Friends for Free Palestine, informed the OBSERVER about the campus sit-in.

“Students at SUNY Fredonia are gathering for a peaceful sit-in on campus. The event is planned to take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 9th, 2024. This is an unsanctioned student event,” the email began.

It continued that “The goals of the sit-in are as follows:

– To stand in solidarity with Palestine and to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

– To call upon SUNY policymakers to divest from military and Israeli financial ties, who profit from and perpetuate the genocide.

– To stand in solidarity with students who have been unjustly persecuted by their universities for exercising their first amendment right to free speech.

– To provide educational outreach and community support.”

At least in the morning, the event appeared peaceful. Many of the nationwide protests have seen pro-Israeli counter protesters but there were none in evidence.

There was apparently an outside police presence on campus for the protest – but a very small one. A single New York State trooper was seen driving around the area.

According to the group’s email, “It is expected that there will be some community pushback and students participating in the sit-in have been advised not to engage with counter protesters.”