Members of THE General Body took part in a protest, a rally and a vigil on Friday as the group’s sit-in stretches into its second weekend.

The day’s events began around 12:45 when 10 protesters gathered in front of Chancellor Kent Syverud’s residence on Comstock Avenue. The group held signs and had duct tape over their mouths as snow fell steadily. The group stood silently for about 45 minutes, with some protesters facing the chancellor’s house and others facing the street.

Hamish Gibbs, a freshman and member of THE General Body, said the goal of the protest was to show Syverud that the protesters were still fighting for issues in their grievances and demands document.

“Just because we’re in Crouse-Hinds doesn’t mean he can learn how to ignore us,” he said. “These issues are too important to be ignored.”

THE General Body, a coalition of student organizations, has been staging a sit-in in the lobby of Crouse-Hinds Hall since Nov. 3. After negotiations with administrators, Syverud sent an email to the Syracuse University community on Wednesday, which included an apology for the communication surrounding the closing of the Advocacy Center, as well as a 53-page response to THE General Body’s grievances and demands. But protesters say they will remain in the building.

The protest outside Syverud’s house ended at around 1:30. Before leaving the group began chanting “Can you hear us now?” Those protesters then met a larger group near the Remembrance Wall at 2 p.m. for a short rally. Led by Colton Jones, an organizer of the sit-in, about 35 protesters chanted and talked about the importance of mental health services and transparency.

“This is the most committed group of students I’ve ever seen,” said Ben Kuebrich, another organizer of the sit-in. “We know we’re right. They can’t wait out the truth.”

Following the rally, protesters marched back to Crouse-Hinds, where a vigil was set to take place outside the building. At 2:45 p.m., about 50 students began hanging signs on a construction fence outside the building. Students held flowers as some protesters shared personal stories of friends who died as a result of mental illness. The goal was to highlight the importance of mental health resources.

Following student testimonials, the entire group began singing and placing flowers near the fence.

The sit-in is currently in its 12th day.

Published on November 14, 2014 at 4:11 pm

Contact Brett: blsamuel@syr.edu | @Brett_Samuels27