ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A sea of green and white is not what you’d usually see at the Diag on University of Michigan’s campus, but Wednesday night Wolverines were standing in solidarity with MSU Spartans.
“Four minutes of silence to symbolize the four hours that students were barricaded in their rooms,” said a student speaking at the podium.
“You could see everyone was reflecting, and it just hit home to everybody,” said one MSU grad.
“Actions speak louder than words, nothing needs to be said as we’re all here standing in solidarity, and I think that’s what matters,” said U of M student Aiden Nicholson. “It meant so much to me when I came out from sitting in the basement of the library. I couldn’t help but tear up.”
“I think it’s really powerful,” said Katia Kassof, a MSU grad living in Ann Arbor. “Even after the silence ended and as everyone signing the banner, we’re still very silent, reflecting and thinking about what happened this past week and what to do moving forward.”
It’s emotional for Kassof to think back to the disturbing moments that unfolded Monday.
“I was listening to the police scanners and hearing the name of buildings I had classes in, my freshman year dorm and just picturing it all in my head,” Kassof said.
The vigil served as a time for the Ann Arbor community to grieve together.
“This is something where children’s hopes and dreams are gone sometimes before 21, which is absolutely unbelievable,” said a student at the podium.
“To see the community come together and see people showing up with any green they have in their closet was really comforting,” Kassof said.
The vigil also brought strength as an Oxford High School shooting survivor turned U-M student reminded everyone of how the three MSU students killed should never be forgotten.
“May we find solace and solidarity and demand changes be made,” said a woman. “May Arielle Anderson, Brian Fraser, and Alexandria Verner rest in peace.”
At the end of the program, they invited people to sign a banner to give to Michigan State students. People signed their names and left encouraging messages, and even at that moment, the crowd was silent.
A GoFundMe has been created to support Arielle Anderson.
Watch: University of Michigan vigil in honor of 3 Michigan State students who were killed in mass shooting
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