Student threw up 2,977 US flags for 9/11

A University of Washington student was filmed throwing in the garbage thousands of American flags commemorating the lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, calling the exhibit a “political accessory supporting American hegemony” .

Fadel Alkilani was seen filling blue garbage bags with flags on Saturday at the St. Louis, Missouri, campus before being confronted by another student filming him, the college newspaper Student Life reported.

“[Alkilani] says that [the display] was in violation of school rules. He also spoke profanity, ”Nathaniel Hope, a college Republican member at the university, told conservative youth organization Young America’s Foundation.

College Republicans had placed the 2,977 flags on Mudd Field before the 20th anniversary of the attacks.

Pictures posted by YAF on Twitter condemned Alkilani’s behavior as “despicable”.

But Alkilani, vice president of finance for the University’s Students Union, defended his actions, saying his protest was aimed at drawing attention to the rise of Islamophobia and criticizing the US military intervention in the Middle East.

“Any 9/11 memorial that does not dispute these facts is not only incomplete, but it also amplifies pro-imperialist sentiment and actively disrespects those who died as a result of the American invasion,” he said. stated in a press release.

“A memorial that uses American flags is particularly insidious, because it does not recognize those who have fallen, but uses a symbol that was on the shoulders of those responsible for the deaths of 900,000 people, and uses the innocent lives lost. during 9/11 as a political accessory supporting American hegemony.

He added that the victims of September 11 “deserve better than to be used as a political tool by those who seek to excuse US imperialism and Islamophobia.

“They died for no reason, suddenly and in traumatic ways, and they should be saddened, not by political symbols, but by their names and faces. I also want to express my condolences to all those who have died and been injured, Americans or not, since September 11, ”he said.

School officials, however, said they were “disappointed” to learn of the incident.

“We were disappointed to learn of the disruption of the September 11 signage on Mudd Field. We condemn the interference with College Republicans’ expression of support for the victims of the national tragedy that took place 20 years ago today, ”Executive Director Susan McGinn said in a statement.

She continued, “We value freedom of expression in all its forms and we will ensure that all students can express their views through appropriate channels without disrupting the rights of others to demonstrate support for causes that matter to them. to heart.”