Image via Seth Beamer

By: Auzzy Byrdsell, Editor-in-Chief & Colin Royal, Managing Editor of Print 

Several students stood in protest Thursday around 11:45 a.m. in Crown Forum at the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel in solidarity with Palestine amidst the Israel – Hamas conflict. Of those students, junior Psychology major Amir Childs pulled the Israeli flag down from the balcony and was removed from Crown Forum by the Morehouse Police Department.

Students looked on in confusion as Childs crossed the base of the stage with the Israeli flag clutched in his hand. He briskly walked from the left side of the chapel towards the far side of the stage, in an attempt to leave the facility. Before Childs could exit the chapel, he was stopped by a fellow student, who took the flag from him.    

No charges have been placed on Childs currently; he met with the deans of the college Thursday according to Childs. Details of any consequences he will face have not been released. 

“I didn’t fully understand what was going on, but this is the kind of understanding and the kind of fire that I was expecting from the student body throughout the year in terms of everything going on between Palestine and Israel,” senior Political Science and Philosophy double major, Calvin Bell III said. 

Bell serves as a Chapel Assistant and a Senator-at-Large for SGA; he witnessed Amir’s stand during the Crown Forum. 

Throughout the Fall 2023 semester, Atlanta University Center students protested and hosted events both on and off the campuses to educate and serve the community in support of Palestine. Students at both Spelman and Morehouse have actively demanded both administrations take public stances against the violence in the war. 

“I’m hearing all these brothers talking about the importance of peace and what it means to our society and I turn around and see a flag of a country that’s bombing children and we’re supporting it,” Childs said. 

He said pulling down the flag was his own spontaneous decision, but he is grateful for those that stood up with him during the Forum. 

“Those brothers show what Morehouse is supposed to be about; the Morehouse man is not the man who’s running Morehouse,” he said. 

Childs said he is prepared to take full responsibility for his actions but hopes he’s not expelled. 

“Murder is wrong, genocide is wrong, call it out anytime you see it. I have nothing against Jewish people,” Childs said. “I have nothing against the people of the Nation of Israel, but I have everything against their government.” 

During the Crown Forum, Director of Freshmen & Seniors’ Academic Success and Philosophy professor Illya Davis spoke directly after Childs’ removal from the chapel calling for his arrest and expulsion for his actions. 

“A crime has been committed in your house. This is not a joke. Why are you laughing? Whoever committed that act should be arrested,” Davis said. 

Several students took to social media in support of Amir. Students demanded that he maintain his status as a student and be free from any criminal charges.

“We recognize Amir’s free will and his intent to protest, and we understand what it was he did and why. Now, we’re focused on how we can take more beneficial and effective responses to protests,” Student Government Association President, Mekhi Perrin said. 

Perrin said he spoke with Childs and is actively trying to find more effective ways to communicate his message 

“As an institution that is trying to change the will and trying to ensure that we are light bearers of ideologies such as King, Thurman and others, it’s important for us to be able to acknowledge the fact that America is in a tough position right now,” Bell said.

Copy Edited by: Kobe Scales, Sports Editor