Ball State Peace Plaza dedicated with ribbon-cutting and first official peaceful protest

Ball State University’s Center for Peace and Conflict Studies this weekend held a dedication ceremony for a new Peace Plaza that has already seen peaceful protest action throughout its short life.

The idea for the plaza, located between the architecture building and the Whitinger Business Building near University Green, originated in 2011.  The project completed its initial construction this year with more additions to be made in the future.

Read More: Peace Plaza seeks to promote peace and inclusivity

Among the about 50 Ball State faculty and staff, students, community members, and elected officials came — eventually — student protesters.

During a presentation of the colors by the Junior ROTC Color Guard of Huntington North High School and singing of the national anthem by graduate student Benjamin Swain, students and community members silently walked toward the plaza and lined up along a side of the stone circle, carrying a Palestinian flag and various protest signs.

The protesters remained silent but held their signs and waved the Palestinian flag, only chanting at the conclusion after the dedication and ribbon-cutting’s conclusion.

Claire Wright, a protester and fifth-year architecture student, said the group represents Ball State for Palestine, a “mixed hybrid group of Jewish and Palestinian and other allies for Palestine.” She also said the group is student and alumni-run and that people do not have to be students or alumni to join.

Ribbon-Cutting

Protesters stand quietly with signs as the dedication ceremony for the Peace Plaza at Ball State University continues. (Abigail Denault for IPR News)

Dedication speeches referenced the UN International Day of Peace, a holiday also honored at the event, and various conflicts around the world including the Israel-Hamas War, which will reach its one-year anniversary next month.

“The plaza is dedicated to soldiers who perished defending their homelands, to law enforcement and first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice when rendering aid to citizens whose lives were lost fighting for their rights and the rights of others,” said Lawrence Gerstein, Director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies.

“To the young people whose futures were denied (to) them by school violence and to the multitude of other victims of violence across the globe, including in Palestine and Israel.”

Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour presented an official proclamation designating the plaza as a place where “groups from Ball State and central Indiana can display appropriate banners and flags to commemorate peace-related anniversaries and/or promote activities and events.” He established Sept. 21 as Ball State University Peace Plaza Dedication Day in Muncie.

Ball State University President Geoffrey Mearns also shared the founding history of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies during the final years of the Cold War and recent developments, including the inaugural 2024 A Better World peace conference.

Gerstein, Mearns and Ridenour all referenced the protestors waiting until the end of the ceremony to begin chanting, expressing gratitude to those involved for being “respectful of the ceremony” and utilizing the space to share their views.

“And I’m hopeful that we’ll see more activities here in the future,” Gerstein said. “And the plaza is open to all. All units on campus that want to have activities. They just need to get with the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies to coordinate it.”

Protest

District 34 State Rep. Sue Errington (D-Muncie) said she was glad students were allowed to continue protesting throughout the event.

“I would hate to see that kind of peaceful protest, you know, denigrated or moved away from an event like this,” Errington said. “I think (it) was important for us to see that there are conflicts going on right now that challenge peace and those students were raising their — well, quietly — raising their voices.”

Deford Cope, a graduate assistant for the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, said the plaza has been discussed since he was an undergraduate student at Ball State and he was glad to see it become a reality.

Read More: Ball State joins pro-Palestinian college protests with small ‘encampment’

“I think we share a common goal to reach peace in the world, and I think it’s really important that we spend some time and have a place to dedicate to that,” Cope said of the protesters at the event.

Some protesters at the event wanted more from the ceremony. Joseph Souza, a senior studying political science at Ball State, wished those in attendance were more active in movements rather than in ceremony.

“I’m glad that there’s attendees who recognize the importance of Palestine, but I’d say next time be on the other side of the picket,” Souza said.

Protesters also mentioned there was a lack of interaction from officials.

“We saw Mearns walk by without a comment. We saw all of these administrators walk by without a comment,” Souza said. “I don’t expect them to do anything, just like they didn’t do anything when 200 students came out.”

One sign held by protesters directly addressed President Mearns, with the words “Don’t let a $500,000 salary make you comfortable with ethnic cleansing Mearns.”

In an interview after the event, Mearns said he supported the students sharing their views at the plaza “irrespective of whether I agree with them or understand them.”

The protesters said they are looking for action from the college and community rather than ceremony.

Protesters chalked the surrounding sidewalk with phrases about the Israel-Hamas War and calls for peace and action to end the war. (Abigail Denault for IPR News)

After the event, the protesters left chalkings on the sidewalk around the plaza with various phrases such as “Our $, Our Plaza,” “Our Peace Plaza, Stop Destroying Gaza” and a collection of other writings calling for peace in Gaza, as well as some referencing other active conflicts around the world including Sudan.

“At the end of the day, people’s lives are on the line,” Souza said. “I’m appreciative of some of the comments I’ve gotten from attendees, but I’d like turn that into action, whether, if it’s not here, somewhere else, go and do something and go speak up, because this is a whole national issue.”

Abigail Denault is a Ball State senior and student journalist.  Contact her at abigail.denault@bsu.edu.