Protests continue across the U.S., with students demanding that colleges and universities divest from companies supporting Israel. Demonstrations in the Empire State have been largely peaceful. At Cornell University, students are making their demands clear about the war.

“This is the liberated zone at Cornell," said Nick Wilson, protest organizer.

It’s one of many encampments that have cropped up on college campuses across the country. From Columbia University, to the University of Rochester and Cornell University, students are making their voices heard through Pro-Palestinian protests across New York. 

"And here at Cornell, we're calling for that after a student referendum where almost 70% of students called on the university to divest from 10 weapons manufacturers complicit in the genocide in Israel," Wilson said. 

He says the manufacturers include Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Techneon.

They’re also calling for Cornell to support a permanent cease-fire in Gaza. 

"It was 49% turnout among students, which is very striking on this campus," Wilson said.

The turnout for the last student government election was 15%. 

Some are protesting because they believe this is the right thing to do; others, because it hits close to home. 

"My father is from Iraq and my mom is from Indonesia," said Sara Almosawi, protest organizer. "My mom immigrated here because of the struggles she faced from war that was supported by the U.S. And my dad, our family business, was impacted by the Iraq war, bolstered by the U.S. And so, I see the struggles that my family face as very similar to the Palestinian cause, and caused by the same forces."

Almosawi is co-chair of the Young Democratic Socialists of America at Cornell. She believes the aid going to Israel should go toward the people in the U.S. who are struggling. 

"Billions of dollars that could be supporting services here, like protecting the homeless, protecting our communities, having better health care for everyone," she said. 

Protest participants spent time undertaking different activities and welcoming guest speakers to talk about protest tactics. 

"We'll be here until our demands are met," Almosawi said.

Cornell University provided a statement, saying, in part, "Free and open expression, including peaceful protest, is core to Cornell's values. We want always to allow a diversity of voices to speak and to be heard. At the same time, it is important that such expression not infringe on the rights of others in our campus community, nor pose a risk to public health and safety. For public safety, tents must be placed in authorized locations and cannot remain in place for more than one week in duration."

Many have voiced concerns about these demonstrations, noting the protests make them feel unsafe and promotes antisemitism on college campuses.