College Republicans to build wall today

The WSU College Republicans will build a wall today on the Glenn Terrell Friendship Mall which will be up from noon to 3 p.m.

The wall will be 20 feet wide and 8 feet tall, and made out of wood painted to look like brick with ‘Trump’ on the front. Anywhere from 30-60 College Republicans are expected to take part in the demonstration, said James Allsup, College Republicans president.

Unity Rally, created by Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan (MEChA), plans to counter protest at the demonstration tomorrow. The ASWSU representative for MEChA, Sydney Johnson, said while they do not agree with the wall, they respect the WSU College Republican’s freedom of speech.

“Our goals have always been to be peaceful, to educate our peers, and to all stand in solidarity,” Johnson said.

However, Johnson said this could have a negative impact on immigrant students, and that there will be students wearing green and orange hearts to escort students to a safe house if needed.

“Just imagine a student who migrated here and they see this wall before them,” she said. “How would you expect them to feel?”

WSU President Kirk Schulz and other administrators released a statement on Tuesday saying the university values diversity on campus and stating that WSU is proud to offer life-changing experiences to undocumented students.

“Interacting and learning with people from a diversity of backgrounds stimulates intellectual growth, encourages collaboration and fosters innovation – essential building blocks in creating community,” the statement read.

Allsup said he hopes this demonstration will generate positive and productive conversations about illegal immigration.

“We understand it’s emotional for a lot of people,” he said, “but we’re hoping people can listen to what we have to say.”

He said he wants this demonstration to show people that Republicans, conservatives and Trump supporters are not the monsters people have come to think of them as. He hopes the demonstration can avoid violence and remain respectful.

The College Republicans have held two similar events in recent years as illegal immigration demonstrations, one in 2006 and one in 2011. However, both involved chain-link fences rather than walls.