It’s starting to look like the encampment at the University of Chicago could be the next to go. The school’s president has said it “cannot continue” and police seem to be arriving on campus.
The University has determined that the pro-Palestine encampment on the main quad is substantially disrupting the functioning and safety of the University, according to an email sent to the University community by President Paul Alivisatos…
“As I wrote on Monday, out of principle we provide the greatest leeway possible for free expression, even expression of viewpoints that some find deeply offensive, even in rare cases at the expense of some policy violations—for a time,” Alivisatos wrote in the email. “But the encampment cannot continue.”
Alivisatos cited the disruption of classes, vandalism of University property, destruction of approved student installations, and the raising of the Palestinian flag on the main quad flagpole as reasons for escalating the University’s position…
“Left to itself, there is no end in sight, and the disruptions will continue to mount,” Alivisatos wrote. “The encampment protesters have flouted our policies rather than working within them, despite UChicago being an institution that allows for many ways to express views.”
There was a counter-protest on campus today which set off the pro-Palestinian group. The counter-protesters waved American flags and marched toward the encampment.
Patriots at University of Chicago break up the path of the pro-Palestine protesters and waive the American Flag.
This trend is spreading! 🇺🇸
There’s hope!pic.twitter.com/lLN71hXImx
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 3, 2024
As you can see from this angle, this guy wasn’t walking into protesters, protesters were forming a human wall in his path.
University of #Chicago tensions continue to rise between US patriots and… https://t.co/tU75kbOh7d via @YouTube
— ‘Breaking MP News (World Military&Political News) (@patrick2001wil1) May 3, 2024
They also chanted “USA!” at the pro-Palestinian protesters.
NOW: Zionist counterprotestors at the University of Chicago have been attacking the Gaza Solidarity Encampment for hours while police sit idle pic.twitter.com/TOqNKVopRw
— Party for Socialism and Liberation (@pslnational) May 3, 2024
At some point, police separated the two groups.
Line of campus police facing @UChicago encampment pic.twitter.com/TOROOfzDno
— Lisa Kurian Philip (@LAPhilip) May 3, 2024
Here’s what happened according to the Sun Times:
Shortly after 12:30 p.m., the counter-protest arrived near the previously peaceful encampment, with some members carrying American flags. Encampment demonstrators chanted “Disclose, Divest, we will not step, we will not rest,” while the opposing group chanted “U.S.A.” Some shoved and threw punches during the skirmish. No arrests were made.
Campus police arrived at the confrontation in riot gear, including shields and batons, standing between the two groups. An alert was sent out to the university community around 1:15 p.m. saying to avoid the main quad due to reports of a “physical altercation.” The rest of the campus seemed unaffected, as a group of people played with a frisbee on the same quad.
So far the only violence I’ve seen is this, which according to the caption was against a “Zionist.”
Zionist gets boinked at University of Chicago pic.twitter.com/azqbpqYlbs
— Palestine in America (@palestinianmag) May 3, 2024
So is the campus about to be cleared by the police? That seems likely to happen but so far there aren’t enough police to make it happen. Maybe they’ll ramp up later this evening or maybe they are waiting for the weekend. But given the president’s statement, I don’t think it will be too much longer.
Finally, here’s a local news report on the situation today. Notice that one student interviewed in this report says the only altercation she witnessed was someone trying to grab the American flag from the guy who was holding it.