Lines of students blocked the intersection of Forsyth and Skinker Boulevards for about 15 minutes Monday morning, protesting a St. Louis County grand jury’s decision not to indict former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.

The protest, called “Homework in the Streets,” was the first action Washington University students held after returning from Thanksgiving break and the first on campus since the grand jury decided not to indict Wilson for shooting and killing black teenager Michael Brown. Though it drew ire from several drivers whose cars could not cross the intersection, protesters persisted in holding signs and reading a statement about racism and police brutality before proceeding to Brookings Archway to read their demands of the administration.

In the sub-freezing temperature, senior Reuben Riggs read out the group’s demands: that the University make a public statement about Michael Brown’s death and subsequent protests and that high-level administrators including Chancellor Mark Wrighton, Provost Holden Thorp and Associate Vice Chancellor for Students Rob Wild meet with members of STL Students in Solidarity during the first week of second semester to discuss further demands.

Student protesters occupy the intersection of Forsyth and Skinker Boulevards, temporarily disrupting traffic. Students used the “Homework in the Streets” event to protest Darren Wilson’s non-indictment.

The protest began early in the morning outside the Danforth University Center. Around 50 to 60 protesters then walked east down Forsyth, reciting chants such as “Out of the classroom and into the streets” and “White silence is violence.”

Once they reached the intersection with Skinker at the east edge of campus, the protesters filed into the streets and blocked all oncoming traffic while Riggs read a portion of the Port Huron Statement, a manifesto written by student activists at the University of Michigan in 1962, in the middle of the empty road.

The protest was infused with references to education, with several protesters carrying books with them and Riggs opening the statement by saying “Class is in session.”

“We wanted to have class in the streets…that was kind of the idea. Our education is in this moment—in this time—and it needs to be brought out into the streets,” Riggs said.

The statement also included the names of several people of color who have been killed by police officers.

Many drivers honked continuously at the protesters in apparent irritation, with one driver getting out of his car to argue with protesters. However, others who were stuck at the intersection were more supportive, with some getting out of their cars to join the protesters.

Student protesters march toward the intersection of Forsyth and Skinker Boulevards for “Homework in the Streets.” They demonstrated to raise awareness of and contest a grand jury’s decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson for killing Michael Brown.

Junior Karisa Tavassoli, who helped organize the event, said that disrupting drivers’ routines was one of the goals of the action.

“That’s kind of the point, not necessarily to make people angry, but to make people uncomfortable and mess up their daily lives in order to pay attention to what’s going on,” Tavassoli said. “Also, the point was to awaken Wash. U. and let people know that we care as students about justice. We are citizens of St. Louis; these matters affect us. We wanted the chancellor to know that we are not OK with how things are going and [we are] demanding change.”

Several police officers from the Washington University Police Department and other outside departments stood at the corners of the intersection, but they did not interfere with the protest for several minutes before they told protesters they were unlawfully assembled and had to leave, according to Tavassoli.

However, Riggs said that the police presence at the protest was smaller than he expected based on previous protests he has participated in.

Protests continued on campus later on Monday afternoon with a walkout organized by Brown School of Social Work students.

With additional reporting by Emily Schienvar.