APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The killing of Qassem Soleimani has sparked somewhat of an anti-war movement. Protestors have taken to the streets, rallying against a possible war with Iran.
Those against a conflict with Iran are making their voices heard across the country.
Thursday, it was at Houdini Plaza in downtown Appleton.
“Right now, I’m just pushing for diplomacy, and advocacy for peace in the Middle East,” said protestor Makayla Strohmeyer.
About 20 Fox Valley high school students held signs in the cold and rain, not to cut class…
Strohmeyer tells FOX 11 this is important for her.
“I’m doing this on my free period. I’m coming out here in the freezing rain and on my time to eat lunch, as well, so I’m not doing this to get out of school!”
But to stand up for what they believe in.
“I am tired of seeing conflicts in the world, and not doing anything,” said another student demonstrator Theo Haaks. Even if this is a small protest, I feel like it’s doing something, and we’re sharing our voice and voicing our opinion that we want peace.”
UW-Oshkosh professor of political science Dr. Michael Jasinski says students exercising their American right to protest is a longtime coming.
“It would be a welcomed change to what we have seen in the last decade, namely an absence of an anti-war movement,” Jasinski said.
Social media comments criticized the kids for not being in school…
“If I were their teacher, I’d be slightly miffed that they’re missing my class,” said Jasinski. “However, at the same time, we’re trying to teach our students to be civically engaged citizens; I can’t very well tell them, stop being civically engaged and get back in the classroom!”
And say they don’t understand what’s happening in the Middle East.
“Ideally, people ought to be informed as to what they are protesting, but I would be more concerned if this were a pro-war rally,” said Jasinski.
Haaks tells FOX 11 the students are more informed than what they’re given credit for.
“All of these people have done their research from a variety of sources, myself included. At the end of the day, we just know that conflict is not the answer here.”
Some see opposing the American actions against Iran as siding with the enemy.
Jasinski says protesting anti-war is essentially the same as being anti-government, but he says protestors may take that stance out of a sense of betrayal.
“Today, in 2020, to be talking about going to war with Iran, after having run against all this stuff back in 2016, that’s just a real reversal!”
The teenage protestors say they’re not against the U.S. or Iran, they’re on the side of peace.
The Fox Valley Peace Coalition held an anti-war protest in the same place on Saturday.
