Student-Led Anti-War Protest
As of April 2026, the violence in the Middle East has yet to dissipate. Even with the recent ceasefire between Israel and Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, and other surrounding areas have become victims to relentless attacks. From water tanks to public schools, both Israel and the United States have been involved in the deaths of thousands of innocent citizens.
Throughout this violence, college students like ourselves watch. We watch the discourse and relentless political warfare through the comfort of our screens, oftentimes in the comfort of our classrooms. We discuss these issues in our classes and, hopefully, with our peers. However, a group of students have taken their frustrations with our government to the next level, organizing student-led stand outs in our own community.
On the afternoon of Thursday, April 9, a group of students took to the town center of Bridgewater for an “Anti-War” stand out. With multiple speeches presented by students, homemade posters, and anti-war music, students stood outside for hours advocating for an actual end to the violence. Within the speeches presented by students, many were incredibly heartfelt and emotional, expressing frustration with our government and a desire to fight back against the unjust treatment of Iran and Lebanon.
I had the pleasure of attending this stand out, and I can say with confidence that it was a success. We were met with mostly support from our Bridgewater community, with a plethora of supportive honks and cheers from those who drove by. Although we experienced some booing and name-calling, it didn’t deflate the energy of the stand out; instead, students responded with peaceful cheering and more chanting for a safer world.
The point of this stand-out was to spread attention to the issues happening that we oftentimes choose to ignore. With busy schedules, general political discourse, and simply the busyness of the day-to-day life, many find it difficult to give these crucial humanitarian issues the attention they need. By standing out, regardless of the response from the community, we are starting dialogue on these human rights issues.
This exposure is what matters as, with more dialogue and collaboration, change can happen.
If you’re interested in attending a possible future stand-out, be sure to keep an eye out for posters and other information around campus.
