Protesters gathered in downtown San Marcos Oct. 24 in support of the movement to end the Nigerian federal police force known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, or SARS. 
SARS has been around since 1984, originally intended to lower rates of robberies and violent crime in Nigeria. However, in recent years the unit has become increasingly corrupt and has been accused of torturing and abusing citizens in several instances. 
Beginning at the Hays County Courthouse, the demonstrators marched through the Square, across Texas State’s campus and back. 
The protest, organized by Texas State student Ibidolapo Susan Orotunde, was intended to bring awareness to injustices happening in Nigeria brought on by the SARS police unit and show support for the campaign to end SARS. Many of the protesters were Texas State students who were either from Nigeria, or had family living there. 
“I have my family living in Nigeria, my parents living in Nigeria,” Orotunde said.
 ”If I’m quiet just sitting in my room retweeting “End SARS” on Twitter, it feels like I’m betraying my family because I know I could be doing so much more.” 
Texas State student Jadesola Olusina encouraged fellow students and young people living in San Marcos to do their part even if the issue may not impact them directly. 
“News coverage in Nigeria is being silenced” Olusina said. “People here in San Marcos can Google about it, do their research, retweet it on Twitter, share it with their family… spreading the movement and sharing it can help it get some traction.”