University of Kansas Police clean up pro-Palestine protests

LAWRENCE, Kansas – Three people were arrested at the University of Kansas Friday morning as police cleared the pro-Palestinian student camp.

For the first time since May 1, the area outside Fraser Hall is clear and calm. Eight days of demonstrations ended Thursday evening after KU officials warned protesters that they had to leave the grounds by 10 p.m. or campus police would intervene.

According to the Lawrence Times, police began dispersing the crowd around 11 p.m. Thursday.

Around midnight, campus police arrested three people on suspicion of trespassing.

According to Lawrence Times reports, this was not the first interaction between police and protesters this week.

Campus police removed cases of water, lawn chairs, signs, tents and other items from the area because they were not permitted. Camping is not permitted on campus after 10:00 p.m

After more than a week of demonstrations, university officials personally delivered a letter to protesters Thursday alerting them of what was coming.

The letter said the demonstration had become a threat to the start of this weekend as visitors would come to campus for the ceremony and other events.

The situation on campus is calm for now, but the added aspect of graduation will keep campus officials and police on high alert. Not just at KU, but on campuses across the country.