Rutgers encampment dismantles after a MONTH— all it took was the protesters being told they have to go
Anti-Israel encampment protesters decided to pack up on Sunday morning after administrators told them they needed to leave.
Anti-Israel encampment protesters at Rutgers University-Newark decided to pack up on Sunday morning after administrators told them they needed to leave.
Rutgers University-Newark said in a statement on Sunday that the “small and sparsely occupied encampment” was dismantled by protesters who left after university officials said they needed to decamp.
No arrests were made on Sunday morning while protesters took down the encampment, according to the university.
”From the encampment’s beginning over a month ago, Rutgers-Newark leaders engaged with the protestors about their concerns in good faith through a series of meetings over the first couple of weeks. We met every one of their requests regarding the conditions and terms of negotiations, provided them every reasonable opportunity to be heard, and provided earnest, substantive, and productive responses to a large majority of their concerns,” a university spokesperson wrote.
The spokesperson said there were “repeated violations of university fire safety policies,” “ongoing defacement of property,” and “ intensifying and expanding the degradation of the campus environment.”
Negotiations between administrators and protesters also appeared to have broken down, as the university said that protesters recently made statements “indicating that they do not plan to honor the path forward for evaluating divestment requests.”
In negotiations with protesters, administrators referenced an agreement that Rutgers-New Brunswick made, which apparently applies to the Newark campus as well.
[RELATED: Rutgers and University of Minnesota cave to anti-Israel campus occupiers]
In that agreement, Rutgers administrators and protesters allegedly agreed on the following:
- Rutgers will “implement support for 10 displaced Palestinian students to finish their education.”
- Rutgers will create an Arab Culture Center.
- Rutgers will “revisit and follow up” on a partnership with Birzeit University in Ramallah, which could include a student exchange or study abroad program.
- Rutgers will name Palestine, Palestinians, and Gaza in all future communications.
- Rutgers will hire a senior administrator “who has cultural competency in and with Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian communities in the Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community.”
- Rutgers will work to make training sessions on “anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim racism for all RU administrators & staff.”
- Work towards the creation of a Department of Palestinian studies.
- Rutgers won’t punish any members of the community involved in the encampment by firing them or terminating employment, but said they’re still subject to student conduct code procedures.
However, no document was signed with protesters and university administrators at Rutgers-New Brunswick.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Public Safety Director Fritz Frage both issued statements approving how Rutgers acted to clear the encampment.
