CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — About a year after pro-Palestine protests at the Alma Mater statue, a group of student demonstrators returned to campus Friday afternoon.

Similar to last year, they’re demanding the University of Illinois divest from companies backing Israel and the war in Gaza. This year the group also voiced their concerns around visa revocation for international students and asked the U of I to provide stronger protections for international students.

WCIA talked with one protester who did not want her name shared and the Chabad Center for Jewish Life on campus.

“It’s sick and disgusting how our university is ignoring it, how they refuse to stand behind their students even though they pride themselves about diversity, equity, inclusion and how they want to be forward or future leaning or whatever they want to say,” the protestor said. “But we’re here for many reasons, but most of all it’s to fight against imperialism.”

“Everyone should have the right to demonstrate and to protest, but also everyone has to follow the rules that’s done within the rules of the university or within the rules of our cities and states, and that’s about balance,” said Rabbi Dovid Tiechtel. “We want to make sure that everybody feels safe, everyone feels secure and everyone feels welcome.”

The CU Muslim Action Committee is also planning a protest at the next Champaign City Council meeting on May 6.