PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A professional-Palestinian encampment calling for a everlasting and speedy cease-fire in Gaza was established on the Drexel College Korman Quad Saturday evening, in line with the Drexel Palestine Coalition.
The listing of calls for the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Drexel is asking the college for contains “divestment from genocide and redistribution of funds towards investments in Palestine, disclosure of fabric and monetary bills and income, protection in opposition to repression and censorship and an express declaration that we’re witnessing a genocide,” the information launch from the coalition reads partially.
Drexel Palestine Coalition stated the encampment in a response to the “Palestinian name for escalations to be able to convey the continued fast-paced genocide in Gaza to a halt.”
The members of the coalition stated they’re displeased with Drexel’s complicity and “co-op programming with Lockheed Martin, investments in BlackRock, analysis and trade applications with Israeli universities and actual property portfolio connections to Israel Bonds.“
“I hope it’s extra fruitful, and extra organizations across the space step up and in addition collab and put extra efforts within the group,” Kendell Lewis, a Drexel scholar stated. “As a result of we wish to maintain it peaceable on the identical time. You do not need anybody to get harm. We simply need individuals to be heard.”
This comes lower than 24 hours after 19 pro-Palestinian protesters have been arrested on the College of Pennsylvania’s campus after teams tried to occupy the Fisher-Bennett Corridor close to thirty fourth and Walnut streets.
A Penn spokesperson stated 19 individuals, together with seven Penn college students, have been taken into custody and 12 got citations for failure to disperse or failure to comply with police instructions. These 12 have been later launched.
A calmer scene proper now at @DrexelUniv the place about 75 pro-Palestinian protesters have arrange a brand new encampment. The group marched from metropolis corridor earlier this afternoon. Campus buildings are on lockdown and police are prepared to maneuver in if something escalates. @CBSPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/KEW9l6k3eV
— Ryan Hughes (@HughesCBS3) Could 19, 2024
Seven extra persons are nonetheless in custody dealing with felony fees, together with one particular person dealing with a cost of assaulting a police officer, the Penn spokesperson added.
Earlier this month on Friday, Could 10, police have been on Penn’s School Inexperienced campus dismantling a pro-Palestinian protest encampment and made arrests. A college spokesperson famous that 33 individuals have been arrested and launched on the identical day.
There’s a massive presence of officers lining the barricades and CBS Information Philadelphia was advised they’re prepared to maneuver in if something escalates.
Drexel’s president launched an announcement later Saturday evening night that stated partially, he understands this encampment raises considerations about guaranteeing everybody’s security and in addition that the college and police is not going to tolerate the destruction of property, the harassment or intimidation of scholars, school, or skilled employees, or threatening habits of any type.
The president stated buildings on campus are on lockdown and on the time there aren’t any arrests.
Right here is the total assertion from Drexel’s President John Fry:
“An estimated 75 pro-Palestinian protesters started to arrange an encampment on campus on the Korman Quad. The protesters gathered at Metropolis Corridor and marched to campus as a part of Philly Palestine Coalition’s Nakba Day march to name for a ceasefire in Gaza.
With campus demonstrations occurring throughout the nation, the establishing on an encampment on Drexel’s campus raises comprehensible considerations about guaranteeing everybody’s security. There have been many well-documented situations of hateful speech and intimidating habits at different campus demonstrations.
Drexel Police and Public Security are carefully monitoring this demonstration to make sure that it’s peaceable and non-disruptive to regular operations, and that individuals and passersby will behave respectfully towards each other. We shall be ready to reply rapidly to any disruptive or threatening habits by anybody.
To underscore the purpose: We is not going to tolerate the destruction of property; the harassment or intimidation of our college students, school or skilled employees; or threatening habits of any type, together with speech that’s explicitly racist, antisemitic, or Islamophobic, that creates a hostile atmosphere for members of our neighborhood based mostly on race, colour, nationwide origin, non secular affiliation, or shared ancestry. Nor will we enable anybody who just isn’t a member of the Drexel neighborhood to trespass into our buildings and scholar residences. Nowadays, our buildings are on lockdown and open solely to these with clearance from Drexel’s Public Security.
We’ll maintain you apprised of developments as occasions unfold.”
