Students representing several different UMass organizations protest the "celebration" of the Columbus Day holiday.

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While many enjoyed the long weekend with little thought of the Columbus Day holiday, a group of UMass students marched down North Pleasant Street with signs Monday afternoon, protesting celebration of a day they equated with slavery and genocide. Handing out pamphlets entitled “March Against Colonialism,” about a dozen students representing The Student Center for Educational Research and Advocacy, the Native American Student Association, the Arab Student Club and Asian Americans for Political Awareness reminded onlookers of a different interpretation of Columbus’ “discovery.”

--Stephanie O'Keeffe