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Pro-Palestinian encampments were cleared from at least three university campuses early Friday morning, as law enforcement has been called in to quell demonstrations at schools across the country in recent weeks. Here are the latest developments:
Police destroyed an encampment at the University of Pennsylvania on Friday morning and arrested nearly 30 people.
The student newspaper, the Daily Pennsylvanian, reported that just before 6 a.m., protesters were given a two-minute warning to disperse. The encampment lasted 16 days.
“We cannot allow any further interference with our academic mission. We cannot allow students to be prevented from accessing learning spaces and resources, from attending final exams, or from participating in graduation ceremonies. ” said Interim President J. Larry Jameson, President John Jackson, and Senior Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli. Joint statement.
A university spokesperson said demonstrators were given multiple warnings and allowed to leave voluntarily. At least 33 people were arrested without incident and charged with trespassing.
Seven of those arrested were University of Pennsylvania students, a university spokesperson said in a statement. The university did not provide details about the other students.
The affiliation of the camp's protesters has been a point of contention from the beginning. A few days after the tents were set up, university authorities tried to check IDs, but protesters resisted. One night, CNN reported that several of the protesters admitted they were not students.
In response to the ID request, camp organizers said in a statement, “Whether Penn recognizes it with a plastic card or not, we are all members of the Philadelphia community.”
Ultimately, UPenn said resistance to showing identification was one of the reasons the camp was disbanded.
Philadelphia Mayor Sherrell Parker said in a statement that no one was injured. The university requested assistance from the city on May 1, agreeing that “police will provide backup assistance in the event an arrest is made or the situation becomes dangerous or violent.”
Jessica Griffin/The Philadelphia Inquirer/AP
Police detained protesters on the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia on Friday.
CNN affiliate WPVI reported that police in riot gear and batons could be seen moving in and dismantling tents as people were detained.
After the encampment was cleared, the area was closed for cleaning.
Philadelphia police, which the university said assisted in the operation, referred questions to Pennsylvania police.
The police operation began less than 24 hours after Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called for the camp to be disbanded, saying the situation in Pennsylvania was becoming “even more volatile and out of control.” Ta.
“Unfortunately, the situation at Penn has reached an unsustainable point and, as the university has publicly announced, the encampment violates university policy, the campus is in disarray, and threats are being made. “We're seeing an increase in abusive and discriminatory language and behavior,” said Manuel Bonder, a Shapiro spokesman. statement.
The Philadelphia and Pittsburgh chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the police actions. CAIR Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Tekelioglu accused Shapiro of “anti-Palestinian bias.”
Law enforcement cleared an encampment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Friday morning, days after the school announced “a series of disciplinary actions” against students who remained past the expulsion deadline.
Video from CNN affiliate WFXT showed protesters chanting “Liberate Palestine” as police broke up a camp on the campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Friday.
Josh Reynolds/Associated Press
Police in riot gear walk past officers clearing a pro-Palestinian encampment at MIT early Friday in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Josh Reynolds/Associated Press
MIT President Sally Kornbluth said Friday that the encampment on Kresge's lawn has been cleared. A total of 10 graduate and undergraduate students were arrested without incident.
Kornbluth said the situation on campus has escalated in recent days due to “threats from individuals and groups on both sides.”
“It was not moving in a direction that anyone could describe as peaceful,” she said in a statement.
Kornbluth said the decision to break up the camp was made after MIT “issued a warning” and “clearly telegraphed what was going to happen.”
The university attempted to clear the encampment this week.enacted on monday “A series of disciplinary actions” against students who remained after being ordered to peacefully clear the area.
upon The university said fewer than 10 students were arrested on campus Thursday.
Francesca Riccio Ackermann, media representative for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Scientists Against Genocide Encampments, said the protesters blocked entry to the Stata Center garage. The Stata Center is the largest access point for deliveries to and from the university, as well as parking for staff and offices.
The university said “high-volume munitions” and “chemical munitions” were used by university police as they worked to clear the encampment from campus early Friday morning.
“Structures made of wooden pallets and other debris were erected on campus grounds,” officials said, in violation of school regulations. The university plans to hold a graduation ceremony Friday night, according to its website.
Law enforcement officers destroyed an encampment on campus last week. CNN earlier reported that an undergraduate student, a graduate student, and two people not affiliated with the university were arrested.
No injuries were reported.
Harvard University has begun “involuntary” suspension of students associated with ongoing pro-Palestinian camps, The Harvard Crimson newspaper said Friday, citing an Instagram post from a group called Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine. reported.
It is unclear how many students took a leave of absence.
The move came after demonstrators overnight rejected an offer from Harvard University interim president Alan Garber to avoid a leave of absence in exchange for clearing the camp.
CNN previously reported that Harvard University warned protesters on Monday that those in the camp could face “involuntary leave” and be unable to take exams.
According to the interim president, students on involuntary leave of absence will not be able to live in Harvard residence halls and “must remain on campus until they return.”
The Harvard Yard encampment was set up nearly two weeks ago.
Gerber previously said Harvard would have a “very high bar” before asking police to intervene.
University of Wisconsin-Madison resolves to end encampment: School officials say representatives from Students for Justice in Palestine will clear Library Mall on Friday and “will not disrupt this weekend's graduation ceremony or other campus events.” He said he promised.
There was no immediate comment from the student group, but the university said the student group also did not re-establish the encampment and promised to “follow UW-Madison rules in future activities.”
“This is a difficult time for our campus, our country and the world,” the university said, adding that it “supports peaceful student movements” and appreciates the encampment. It is a source of community for many participants. ”
However, the encampment “made others in our community feel uncomfortable and unseen, especially some in the Jewish community,” the statement said.
“We strongly condemn anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hatred and bigotry, and we recognize the sacrifices of so many people around the world as a result of war and displacement.” said.
Under an agreement with protest leaders, the university said it would meet with SJP to “discuss principles of disclosure and investment, and increased engagement and support for academics and students affected by war, violence, and displacement.” “Opportunities to meet with policy makers” will be facilitated, he said.
University police earlier warned protesters that disrupting campus events, including graduation ceremonies on Friday and Saturday afternoons, violates state law and will not be tolerated.
According to CNN affiliate WMTV, the students who disrupted the school will be suspended and their degrees will be suspended.
Students and non-students involved in the disruption will also be subject to arrest, citations and criminal charges.
University of Massachusetts Amherst commencement speaker declines: Author Colson Whitehead will no longer speak at the school's May 18 commencement ceremony due to “the events of May 7 on campus,” the university said in a statement.
CNN earlier reported that between Tuesday night and Wednesday, police cleared the encampment and arrested several protesters at the university.
“We respect Mr. Whitehead's position and are disappointed that he will not address the Class of 2024,” said Ed Blaguszewski, a spokesperson for UW-Amherst. The university said ceremonies will now be held without a commencement speaker.
CNN has reached out to Whitehead for comment.
Xavier University cancels UN Ambassador's commencement speech: Louisiana's HBCU becomes the second institution to reverse its policy of inviting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield to speak, according to multiple reports. The university's president, Reynold Verret, said the decision was made in response to a student-led petition expressing anger at the US policy of supporting Israel in its war against Hamas and the vote against a ceasefire at the United Nations. .
The New School will not pursue criminal charges against student protesters. More than 40 people were arrested during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at a New York City university on May 3, CNN reported. However, school officials are asking prosecutors to drop all charges, Interim President Donna Shalala said in a message to the university community, and the Faculty Senate is requesting that the Investor Responsibility Advisory Committee be reinstated. The request was also announced.
USC Valedictorian Stock heavily edited the canceled speech: Asuna Tabassum, the University of Southern California valedictorian whose talk was canceled last month due to safety concerns, shared a largely edited version of her talk with CNN on Friday. The letter begins: “It is an honor to stand before you today as valedictorian. I am filled with gratitude for this privilege.” The rest read, “Congratulations to the Class of 2024. Thank you.” It will be edited until it ends with . Two USC student-run media outlets, the Daily Trojan and USC Annenberg Media, first published the letter on Friday.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN's Kelly McCreary, Amanda Musa, Andy Rose, Danny Freeman; Sam Simpson, Rob Frehse and Zenebou Sylla contributed to this report.