Eric Fang
At approximately 4:35 a.m. on Tuesday morning, less than an hour after encampment organizers concluded their final rally of the evening, several dozen UCPD officers arrived at the main quad to remove the pro-Palestine encampment. The officers’ arrival came on the ninth day of the encampment, after UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP) launched an encampment on the quad outside of Swift Hall at 10 a.m. last Monday, following in the steps of pro-Palestinian groups at numerous other universities that have set up encampments in recent weeks.
Shortly before UCPD officers swept the encampment, two UCPD cars arrived on the main quad. Protesters were informed over a speaker that “the University of Chicago [did] not permit their assembly in this area,” and that they were “hereby notified that [they were] committing criminal trespass by remaining on… private property without permission.”
“Anyone who fails to comply will be criminally charged,” the speaker announced. “Students who fail to comply with this order will be subject to University discipline and immediately placed on leave of absence.”
Protesters, as they had largely returned to their tents to sleep for the night following the rally, had only minutes to comply with orders before UCPD officers entered the encampment. As UCPD officers overturned the encampment’s tents and barriers, protesters chanted in unison, repeating the phrases they had used during their daily rallies over the past week of the encampment. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office was also observed on the scene amidst the raid.
“More than 40,000 dead! You’re arresting kids instead!” Encampment members chanted in a video reviewed and verified by the Maroon from a protester inside the encampment during the sweep.
In an interview shared with the Maroon, an encampment member asserted that “[UCPD] did not give [encampment members] a clear plan for leaving.”
“They came in maybe two minutes after the warning,” the encampment member said. “It’s clear that they waited until after the rally was over. We were at our most vulnerable.”
Protesters could be heard screaming by Maroon staff as the raid went on. At 4:55 a.m., UCPD ordered press, including Maroon staff, to leave the quad. At 6:59 a.m., the University sent an email confirming that no arrests occurred. It is currently unclear if there were any injuries.
In a Telegram message, UCUP encouraged protesters who had not been at the encampment at the time of the raid to return to campus to demonstrate outside of the quad. Protesters gathered near the South Ellis Avenue entrance to the quad and chanted at the line of police donned in riot gear, who set up yellow barricades to separate themselves from the protesters.
Officers then handed out slips of paper with instructions on departing the encampment to the protesters who had gathered. The slips were entitled “Final Notice to Students Participating in Encampment on Main Quad,” and were not handed to protesters inside of the encampment in advance of the raid.
“The Deans on Call and University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) have informed you multiple times that your tents and other items are unauthorized. This is your final warning to leave the encampment.
If you fail to immediately leave, you will be arrested by law enforcement for criminal trespass under the Illinois Criminal Code.
Additionally, failure to immediately leave will result in disciplinary action as outlined in the Student Manual. You will also be immediately placed on emergency interim leave of absence from the University. A student who has been placed on emergency interim leave of absence must promptly vacate University housing, leave campus, cannot participate in student and academic program activities, or use any University facilities, and may not return until the student has been authorized to return from the leave and reenroll.”
The University could not be reached for comment.
This is a developing story. Follow along with live updates here.
Editor’s note, 9:32 a.m.: An original version of this article stating it was unclear at the time of publication whether arrests occurred has since been updated to reflect an email sent by University President Paul Alivisatos at 6:59 a.m. this morning stating no arrests have occurred.