Harvard Law students occupy school building

A group of student activists from Harvard Law School called “Reclaim Harvard Law” have brought sleeping bags, suitcases and air mattresses for their indefinite stay in one of the school’s buildings as a protest, the Harvard Crimson reported.

The group of students have renamed the law school’s Caspersen Student Center “Belinda Hall” after a former slave of prominent law school benefactors. The activists hope their occupation will create a space for minority students that they claim the university has not provided.

The group says it plans on occupying the hall indefinitely.

“Members of Reclaim Harvard Law rallied in December after they said the administration denied to meet the group’s eight demands—including the removal of a controversial seal that is also the coat of arms of a slaveholder who helped to found the school. Students also demanded the establishment of an office of diversity and inclusion,” Boston.com reported.

The law school’s dean has reportedly addressed these complaints by forming a committee to re-examine the seal, as well as investigate the defacement of portraits of black Harvard Law School professors as a hate crime.

The student activists however are not satisfied.

“Activists say they want to see the university better contextualize its curriculum and increase ‘cultural competency’ education for professors and students,” Boston.com reported.

Until then you can find these students camping out in Belinda Hall.

Matt Lee is a web producer for Metro New York. He writes about almost everything and anything. Talk to him (or yell at him) on Twitter so he doesn’t feel lonely@mattlee2669.