Pro-Palestine demonstration outside Textron headquarters to continue

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A demonstration calling for an end to shut down Textron headquarters in Providence will continue Friday.

The Party for Socialism and Liberation will gather at 3 p.m. in demand for “an end to the complicity of our government and our schools in the occupation of Palestine and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”

The group said demonstrations will continue until their demands are met.

Protestors marched last week, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The Textron building was wrapped in plastic ahead of the demonstration after it was hit with vandalism a few times.

Messages like “Free Gaza” and “Kills Kids” were written on the building in red paint.

ABC 6 News obtained the following statement from Textron last week:

Textron respects the right of people to engage in peaceful and lawful protest. We take pride in supporting the U.S. military and our U.S. allies with our technologies and products, following all laws and regulations related to foreign military sales. As a multi-industry company with locations in 25 countries, we are also proud of the role we play in our communities, particularly our headquarters community of Providence. We would also like to thank the Providence police and local law enforcement for their assistance in ensuring the safety of our employees, tenants and guests.

There have been several more instances of unrest in Rhode Island in relation to the war.

A sit-in protest at Brown University last week ended with 20 students being taken away in handcuffs.

College officials said the students were repeatedly warned that they had to leave University Hall after closing, or they’d be arrested for trespassing.

Faculty have since asked Brown University to drop the charges and any possible disciplinary action against the student protestors, proposing a campus-wide conversation that engages with their demands.