TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — Hundreds of students took part in a pro-Palestine protest outside of the University of Alabama student center Wednesday.

“I think what is happening in Gaza right now is a violation of people’s basic human rights,” said Kovals Petrauskas, a student at the University of Alabama.

Petrauskas helped organize the two hour long protest in support of Palestine, and said the group wants the war and violence to stop in the Middle East.

Petrauskas said the group is also asking UA to speak out about what’s going on and to cut ties with American airspace and defense company Lockheed Martin and the company’s former President/ CEO and University of Alabama Alum Marillyn Hewson.

“We want the university to release a statement on the ceasefire because they do have power,” said Petrauskas.

Some students in support of Israel feel the university should not follow through with those demands.

“I believe in freedom of speech; people should be allowed to say whatever they want, but I pay money to go to this campus and I have friends and family in Israel that they’re supporting the killing of. I think it’s truly disgraceful,” Rick Rosenthal, a student at the University of Alabama said.

Rosenthal was joined alongside a number of counter protestors in support of Israel, using their voices to speak out as well.

“Israel has been fighting for their land for long time and I’m very proud to stand with the Israeli people,” said Rosenthal.

The University of Alabama Police Department divided the two groups and a heavy police presence surrounded the student center to ensure everyone’s safety.

The University of Alabama released a statement following Wednesday’s protest saying, in part, that “the University appreciates that attendees peacefully exercised their free speech rights with no disruptions, violence, vandalism or arrests…Enhanced security and other resources have been made available to students and groups who have expressed concern, and those resources remain available.”

Though some students walked away from the protest feeling heard by their peers and the university, other students said it’s going to take more to come to a common ground.

“I like that they’re allowing us to air out our voices, but I wish they would allow us to have a conversation as well,” said Jordyn Banks, a student at the University of Alabama.