While many students celebrated the beginning of their weekend, a small group joined together Thursday evening to show solidarity for a man who was simply trying to be heard.

Supporters of Occupy EIU movement gathered Thursday evening at the camp outside of Doudna where it began. Candles were lit to show reverence for a member of Occupy Oakland who remains hospitalized after an alleged police attack.

‘This is a peaceful protest’

Scott Olsen, 24, was marching with Oakland demonstrators Tuesday when he suffered a cracked skull in the chaos between officers and protesters, CBS News reported. The marine remained in critical condition, said a spokesman for Highland Hospital in Oakland.

Police Chief Howard Jordan said at a news conference that the events leading up to Olsen’s injury would be investigated as vigorously as a fatal police shooting.

‘This is what democracy looks like’

As the walk continued and voices joined in chants of solidarity, the numbers of supporters grew. By vigil’s end, over 30 students, professors and community members marched together.

Daniel Douglas, a communications studies major, said the march was arranged Thursday afternoon to show solidarity, “not just for Olsen, but for the overall movement.”

Occupy EIU’s vigil follows the example of hundreds of members of Occupy Wall Street who marched up to the gates surrounding New York’s City Hall Wednesday evening.

Graduate student Brendan Hughes, one of the founders of the Occupy EIU movement, said there is a growing concern for the members of the Occupy movement, especially for those in Oakland and San Francisco.

“It’s still unsure how these movements will continue, especially as we enter the winter months,” Hughes said. “We’re still looking at what our options are.”

Mathematics professor Charles Delman said as a long-time member of Eastern’s faculty union, he joined the vigil to show solidarity with the movement.

“I believe the way the police have acted in this manner is atrocious and I stand by the Occupy movement,” he said.

Some students, like senior philosophy major Jason Banahan, joined the vigil last minute.

“I support a lot of the ideas of the Occupy movement and I saw people gathering for the vigil and I thought it would be a good idea,” Banahan said.

Graduate student Michael Janowski said he felt the vigil accomplished what the group set out to do.

“I think we got the attention of the university and we definitely exposed some people to our message,” he said.

Shelley Holmgren can be reached at 581-2812 or meholmgren@eiu.edu.