Penn State students and employees and State College community members moved through silence, protest and mourning on Thursday with an event marking the anniversary of September 11, a rally against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and a candlelight vigil honoring slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The evening began on Old Main lawn, where about a hundred people observed long silences to remember the September 11 attacks. Penn State’s College Republicans and College Democrats co-hosted the service. University President Neeli Bendapudi, State College Mayor Ezra Nanes and local officials remembered the lives of those who died 24 years ago.
Soon after, about 30 protesters marched in downtown State College to call on Penn State not to cooperate with ICE. The Student Committee for Defense and Solidarity (SCDS) led the demonstration with help from other student and community groups.
Corey, a spokesperson for SCDS who asked to use only their first name for safety, said the group wants Penn State to ban ICE from campus and block any recruitment efforts, something that is growing increasingly normal on college campuses.
“We’re demanding that the university not collaborate with ICE, not allow ICE on campus. The university police should not work with ICE,” Corey said.
Corey said international students carry the biggest risk.
“The threat of ICE coming into classrooms, ICE coming and taking people from the university where people live, work and go to class, it’s disruptive and it’s damaging. And people deserve to feel safe in their communities where they’re living, where they’re working. And that constant threat of being taken by ICE, it’s damaging,” they said.
Lizz Brandt, who works in Old Main, said she joined the protest because of what she sees inside the administration building.
“I work in that administration building, and to know that our institution is complicit in what’s happening, it’s only right to use my privilege and come out here to stand in solidarity,” Brandt said.
Brandt criticized the university’s handling of international students.
“The university is comfortable taking a lot of money from international students, but doesn’t want to do anything to protect them. I think they’re cowards for doing so, putting profit before people,” Brandt said.
The protest intensified when a man confronted the crowd with a stick. A brief scuffle broke out before protesters regrouped to march toward the Nittany Lion Inn, where the Penn State Board of Trustees was staying for a meeting.
By nightfall, candles lit Old Main again. Students and community members gathered to remember Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who had visited Penn State last fall.
Kirk, a conservative activist known for debating college students, was shot and killed at Utah Valley University Wednesday.
Republican state Senator Cris Dush told students that Kirk left a lasting impact.
“These young people that are here today, they’re intelligent and they’re compassionate, and they care about people just the way Charlie does,” Dush said. “When evil cannot find a response to good, evil reacts with violence. And that’s what we saw and what happened to Charlie.”
Freshman Brett McElhinney said he found the attack unsettling.
“I feel like it’s absolutely awful and that nobody in America should fear that they’re gonna be a subject of violence when they’re asserting their First Amendment right,” he said.
Freshman Jacob Corcoran said Kirk changed how young conservatives connect to politics.
“I think his legacy is helping the Republicans finally figure out how to cultivate the youth, because for a long time, the youth party was the Democrats, and Charlie was one of the ones that finally figured out how to get his message across to us,” he said.
Not everyone at the vigil agreed with Kirk’s politics. Sophomore and College Democrats member Josh Hussey said he came to honor Kirk as a person.
“We see a lot of hatred today. As a man, he really cared about what he did. All he did was speak words, whether I agree or disagree, doesn’t mean much when it comes to him as a human being,” Hussey said.
Tristan Kilgore, president of the Penn State College Republicans, said Kirk’s openness to debate made his death especially painful.
“He always welcomed people with a different perspective to come up, ask a question, and have a debate where he’s able to learn their perspective and they’re able to learn his, and people are able to come to a common understanding or change each other’s minds. And so to see that happen, it was just devastating,” Kilgore said.
Kilgore said Kirk’s legacy calls on students to reject fear.
“If we continue to stand up for a belief and we’re continuing to work with people across the aisle, then we’re able to put an end to that political violence,” Kilgore said. “And I think that’s what he represents, and I think that’s the kind of legacy that he would want us to continue.”