More than 30 arrested as police end pro-Hamas encampment at UPenn
Police intervened to end a pro-Hamas encampment at approximately 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Police intervened to end a pro-Hamas encampment at approximately 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
The officers wore anti-riot protective gear and offered a final warning to the demonstrators before issuing 33 arrests for defiant trespassing on private property, According to Fox 29. Commencing on April 25, the anti-Israel campus occupation lasted 16 days.
BREAKING/LISTEN: Police have given protestors a recorded two minute warning to leave or face arrests for trespassing. pic.twitter.com/V5l6KqvmKu
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) May 10, 2024
[RELATED: Police SHUT DOWN UMass Amherst anti-Israel occupation, arrest 130]
”At approximately 5:30am this morning, Penn Police, with support from the Philadelphia Police Department, took steps to remove the unauthorized encampment on College Green,” a UPenn spokesperson confirmed to NBC 10 Philadelphia. “Protestors were given multiple warnings that they were trespassing and offered the opportunity to voluntarily leave and avoid citation. Those who chose to stay did so knowing that they would be arrested and removed.”
The encampment was reportedly ended less than 24 hours after Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called for the demonstration to end.
”More rules have been broken. Laws have been violated. That is absolutely unacceptable,” Shapiro stated. “ All students should feel safe when they’re on campus. All students have a legal right to feel safe on campus.”
[RELATED: California college reaches deal in negotiations with pro-terrorist occupiers]
One student said that the activists intended to “escalate,” if the police attempted to intervene, according to The Daily Pennsylvanian.
”PPD, KKK, IOF they’re all the same,” the student activists reportedly chanted as the Philadelphia police broke up the demonstration.
As noted by CNN, at least three pro-Hamas demonstrations were disbanded by police on college campuses Friday morning, including at the University of Arizona and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
