Police dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment at Wayne State University; protesters arrested

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Police donning riot gear descended on a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of Wayne State University on Thursday morning.

Officers could be seen removing protesters from the encampment and breaking down tents. The encampment was set up last week amid the violence in Gaza. Among the activists' demands are divestment from weapons manufacturing companies supplying Israel, a full disclosure of investments, and ceasing delegation trips to Israel.

After protesters were moved off the encampment, they began marching on the campus, where some people clashed with police officers. According to the university, at least 12 people were arrested. 

The removal of the protesters comes days after the Detroit university shifted to remote operations, citing an "ongoing public safety issue."

In a new statement from school president Kimberly Andrews Espy, she said the encampment "presented legal, health and safety, and operational challenges for our community."

A university official told FOX 2 on Tuesday that a potential dismantling of the encampment remains a fluid situation with no set decision. That official also said that Espy was willing to meet with demonstrators under the condition that they break down the encampment.

In Thursday's statement, Espy said there were conversations with protesters, who were told that they were trespassing. Read her full statement below.

WSU is just one of many colleges across the United States where encampments have been set up as students call for the schools to stop financially backing Israel amid the war in Gaza.

Last week, police in riot gear used pepperspray as they broke up an encampment that had been set up at the University of Michigan Diag for a month.

WSU president's statement:

"The encampment at Wayne State University was removed this morning. After ongoing consultation with the Board of Governors, university leadership, and leaders in the community – and after many good-faith efforts to reach a different conclusion – this was the right time to take this necessary step.

"Starting at approximately 5:30 a.m., officers from the Wayne State University Police Department made repeated amplified announcements to allow everyone time to gather their belongings and leave. Many people left. Final cleanup of the area is ongoing, and campus operations will remain remote for today. We will announce tomorrow’s operations later today.

"At Wayne State, we live by an unwavering set of values – including collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion – as well as a commitment to safety, security and equity for our entire campus community. As president, I have a responsibility to uphold these values for all to live, learn and work.

"Since the encampment was established on May 23, it presented legal, health and safety, and operational challenges for our community. University leadership repeatedly engaged with occupants of the encampment; descriptions of our actions and videos of these interactions are archived publicly here.

"In each conversation, we reiterated that the occupants were trespassing on university property, and we asked that the encampment be removed. No individual or group is permitted to claim campus property for their own use and deny others access to that property.

"The encampment created multiple legal, health, and safety challenges that disrupted our operations and required us to shift to remote operations this week. The encampment also created an environment of exclusion – one in which some members of our campus community felt unwelcome and unable to fully participate in campus life.

"Wayne State University has a proud history of supporting freedom of speech, religion, and the right to peacefully protest, while respecting the voices of our students, faculty, staff, and community. When actions violate the law, threaten health and safety, or impair the ability of our campus community to conduct the work of the university, however, we must act.

"Meanwhile, we remain more committed than ever to our mission of creating and advancing knowledge, preparing a diverse student body to thrive, and positively impacting local and global communities.

"Thank you for your continued support of Wayne State’s mission and values."

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