UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio - A mock border wall erected outside two buildings on the John Carroll University campus was a school project meant to illustrate immigration. But the symbol has led to verbal battles and chalkings throughout campus in support of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The wall was erected Monday by the Students for Social Justice organization, said senior Grace Donnelly, who is majoring in sociology and peace, justice and human rights.

"We are trying to educate the campus on the need for immigration reform and the reality immigrants face," she said Wednesday.

With the university's permission, a section of 36-foot-wide wire fence was placed at the bottom of the steps of the student center. Another section was set up in front of the library.

Posted on the wall was information about the project, plus papers on justice, migrant travel and immigration policy, Donnelly said.

Here's what happened next.

Monday:

While students received a lot of support from classmates, faculty and staff, negative remarks started appearing Monday on Yik Yak, a app where people can comment anonymously about issues, she said. Donnelly said she and others followed the comments and responded.

Tuesday:

On Tuesday, the opposition went to the wall to voice support for Trump, who has said he wants to deport immigrants and build a wall along the Mexico border.

"Trump 2016" was chalked in front of the walls, and students confronted each other Tuesday night by the student center, she said. They literally stood on both sides of the fence and debated.

"Supporters of Trump threatened to tear down the wall and to vandalize it," Donnelly said. "They put Trump signs on the wall."

Students from the Latin American Student Association joined the social justice students in the debate, which lasted from about 8 to 10 p.m., she said. As the students discussed the issues, campus police watched.

The Carroll News, the student newspaper, covered the activities on Twitter. (See Storify below.)

Donnelly said she and other students stayed at the walls overnight.

Wednesday:

Into Wednesday, Trump supporters chalked sidewalks and walls around campus, signaling their support for Trump and their opposition to Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

The campus ministry has organized a prayer service at noon in front of the wall by the student center.

The Latin American student group plans to gather Wednesday night to play music at the wall, she said.

The university released this statement:

"As an academic community, John Carroll University is committed to creating an environment in which individuals and groups have the ability to express different points of view. At the same time, the University requires expression of views to be shared in a respectful manner that does not threaten the safety or well-being of a person or property. We are reviewing concerns raised by individual students regarding the display and will respond as appropriate."

The walls are scheduled to come down at noon Thursday, but Donnelly said she and other students hope what occurred leads to a campus dialogue.

"We expected some kind of pushback because of what we have seen around the nation but we didn't expect what happened with the protestors," she said. "It is a great opportunity to move forward."