ATLANTA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp released a statement after protests swept across the nation's college campuses on Thursday in support of Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
In Atlanta, a protest encampment was set up Thursday morning on Emory University's campus. 11Alive crews were at the protest site and witnessed several individuals being detained and loaded into police vans.
Students also had a walkout at Kennesaw State University and another rally was held at Georgia Tech's campus.
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In response to those protests, the Georgia governor wrote the following statement:
Across the country, Americans have watched with horror as radicals have terrorized Jewish students and forced them to evacuate from their dormitories and classrooms. College campuses are designed to be places of learning and often civil discourse, but in Georgia, they will never be a safe haven for those who promote terrorism and extremism that threatens the safety of students.
I am thankful for state and local law enforcement who responded swiftly to Emory University's call for support and restored order on campus.
Just as we have always done in the past, we will respect the right to peacefully protest, but those who choose to make the unwise decision to use our college campuses to intimidate, make threats, promote violence, or in any other way break the law will be met with the full force of the law and brought to justice.