Pro-Palestine protest erupts at Georgia State University

ATLANTA - Pro-Palestine protesters took to Georgia State University in Downtown Atlanta on Friday afternoon.

FOX 5 crews saw about 100 protesters carrying signs and black umbrellas clashing with officers outside the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Building located across the street from Woodruff Park along Park Place NE.

"I want people to really understand what's happening in Gaza, and really take in the mortality that Gazans are feeling," said Georgia State University student Ty Cox.

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The students appeared to be attempting to enter the center where the GILEE program is housed. GILEE, known formally as the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange, is an international school of law enforcement.

One of the protest chants during the demonstration compared the Atlanta Police Department to the Israel Defense Forces and the KKK.

University police were joined by Atlanta police to form a line to push the protesters back, preventing them from entering the building.

"These protests, while they do start off peaceful, they are a form of violence. Violence isn't just physical, it's a lot more ideological, so we're coming out here and engaging in an ideological warfare with the police, IDF and Israel. So, violence is sometimes necessary in my personal opinion," said Cox.

Students were seen holding a sign calling for the program to end and the university to divest from Israel.

The protesters eventually moved on down the street, and ended up at Woodruff Park, the site of the 2011 "Occupy" movement in Atlanta.

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It was not immediately clear if any arrests were made.

Compared to some protests across the country, this one was rather peaceful and subdued. The crowd disbursed peacefully after about an hour, but vowed to be back on Saturday in greater numbers.

As these protests span colleges across the country, many pro-Israel supporters condemn the movement, with some alleging antisemitism. It is something this protester admittedly denies.

"Antisemitism is actually attacking Judaism or the Jewish people, what we're doing is calling for the abolition of the state of Israel, we're not calling for the eradication of the Jewish people. We want Gazans to be able to live and be able to enjoy themselves," said Cox.

What is the GILEE program at GSU?

The Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange brings together local, state, federal, and international law enforcement and public safety agencies through Georgia State University. GILEE's mission is to "enhance law enforcement executive development and international cooperation for the provision of better law enforcement services and public safety through the protection of civil rights." They do this by offering peer-to-peer professional training.

Established in 1992, the school focused on anti-terrorism training and worked to help secure the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games and played a role in the antiterrorism efforts following the September 11 terrorist atrocities.

The program has recently been in the news for sponsoring an officer exchange between the U.S. and Israel.

GILEE is a nonprofit organization under the Georgia State University Foundation.

Opposition to the GILEE program at GSU

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has long been opposed to the GILEE program. CAIR claims the program works with and legitimizes foreign governments that violate human lives. They say the program teaches racism and, in particular, Islamophobia.

CAIR calls the program "a right-wing political extremism" which smears Arab-Americans and has repeatedly slandered former President Jimmy Carter by calling for him to be labeled as a "supporter of genocide."

In addition, CAIR believes the school promotes "urban policing" and "counterterrorism", which further militarizes peace officers.

Many of the pro-Palestinian protests in Atlanta have also included a "Stop Cop City" element in them. Some protesters say they believe the actions by Israel and the militarization of police in the U.S. are both symptoms of the same disease.

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