People around the world witnessed the first aired bombings in Baghdad on the Wednesday night news, which over the next few days elicited many responses, including protests from college students nationwide.

College students across the Boston area prepared their display of opposition weeks in advance for the day after the war began. The event was titled “Day X” by the students who planned it.

Student leaders chalked slogans on sidewalks, posted fliers and called for students to walk out of their classes. Students were encouraged to join rallies opposing the war that were scheduled for Thursday, “Day X.” More than 4,000 students and some faculty members convened Thursday to march up to the Government Center. However, these protests proved peaceful, unlike many others nationwide that have resulted in several arrests.

A number of the most violent protests occurred in Egypt, specifically at the American University in Cairo. Hundreds of students gathered for the rally, which began with a march against the war. However, by early afternoon the protest turned violent when students were essentially “beaten back” by water cannons and police officers using batons, according to university officials.

Even with the violence, no arrests were reported.

However, police arrested more than 50 protestors in Texas after the protestors refused to leave a downtown bridge where they were blocking traffic. Before the arrests, students convened in a circle in the middle of another intersection with duct-tape-linked arms and hands resembling missiles.

After students refused to leave, police officers were forced to use pepper spray and ultimately drag a number of protestors off the bridge.

Nearly 40 protestors were also arrested while engaging in a demonstration that began at Ohio University just a few hours before the first bomb and missile strikes against Iraq Wednesday. These protestors were also blocking an intersection that they refused to leave. These actions, in turn, led to the arrests.

In addition, about 2,000 protestors gathered at the University of California at Berkeley around the time of the first missile launches. Hundreds of protestors then marched into the main administration building on campus, where 100 Berkeley students were arrested and charged with counts of trespassing after refusing to leave the building at 5 p.m.

A number of students at other universities nationwide chose to take different approaches to expressing their thoughts by marking the first day of war with silent vigils and other peaceful events. Anti-war students at Davidson College in North Carolina gathered at a flagpole and held hands while observing 15 minutes of silence.

However, these anti-war students were countered by a group of their peers who were in support of the war. The sets of protestors stood a mere 10 yards apart, while war supporters screamed at the antiwar students, calling them names such as “un-American.” A few students screamed back in defense, but most remained silent.

Many universities nationwide were on spring break this past week, including the University of Wisconsin, which made it difficult for some to protest or show support for the beginning of the war.