Amherst Community Protests to “Stand up for Democracy”

On Friday, roughly 50 students, faculty and staff, and town members staged a protest to “stand up for democracy.” Protesters gathered at the four corners of the intersection of South Pleasant Street, College Road, and Northampton Road.

Protesters held signs that read “Honk for Habeas Corpus,” “Empathy is Democracy,” and “Stand up for democracy.” Protesters encouraged passing vehicles to honk in support of democracy.

The protest organizer, a faculty member who wished to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, told The Student that “I think in the current moment, people are often paralyzed, and they don’t know what to do.”

The organizer saw the protest as a good opportunity to bring students and faculty together to fight for democracy, while also inspiring passerbyers to get involved. “I think that showing people other people doing something might inspire someone who wouldn’t otherwise do something to do something,” they said.

Farah Ameen is a town resident and a trustee of Jones’s Library. She held a sign that read “Release Rumeysa.” Rümeysa Öztürk is an international Ph.D. student at Tufts University who, on March 25, was detained on the street by plainclothes federal officials and remains in custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In a habeas petition for her release, Öztürk’s attorney stated that her arrest and detention appears to have been based on an opinion article that she co-authored for her school newspaper, The Tufts Daily, on March 26, 2024, in support of the resolutions passed by the Tufts Community Senate, which demanded that the University acknowledge the Palestinian genocide, apologize for University President Sunil Kumar’s statements, disclose its investments and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel.

“This really got to me, yesterday,” Ameen told The Student while pointing to her sign. Ameen is an immigrant and a U.S. citizen, but said she still increasingly feels unsafe. “Yesterday, I had a moment where I was like, ‘Do I have to walk around with my passport?’”

She said that she is concerned for other immigrants’ and her 15-year-old daughter’s futures. “This is the place that you’re supposed to come and feel safe, and it’s really terrifying right now,” she said. “That’s why I’m here.”

In light of President Donald Trump’s recent negative rhetoric towards protesters, particularly against international college students, some protesters expressed concern for the freedom of speech.

Joe Leckie ’28 told The Student that dissent is foundational to democracy. “I’m here because I’m concerned about the arrests of students that have been speaking about Donald Trump and his policies, and I think that democracy relies on that dissent, and so if we don’t stand up to try to force democracy, it’s just gonna crumble,” he said.

Gabe Day-O’Connell ’28 agreed with Leckie and added that the protest is an opportunity to foster a sense of community and offer support. “It’s less about changing other people’s minds and more about making people feel comfortable to speak up, and making people feel like they’re not alone,” he said.

Similarly, Lucy Li ’28 told The Student that it can be difficult to convert personal frustrations into community action and participation. Participating in this protest, she said, was a way for the community to publicly express their frustrations.

“While standing up for democracy might be a little bit vague, I think the fact that people are coming out and showing all the signs in this big crossing at least publicizes that our sentiments are there,” she said.

“If you feel frustration, and you’re in a place of privilege where you can speak out about it and can express dissent, then do it,” Li added.