Pro-Palestine protesters disperse from KU campus after police arrive; 3 arrested – The Lawrence Times

Post last updated at 1:06 a.m. Friday, May 10:

Law enforcement threatened to arrest protesters after a group of about 100 people gathered on KU’s campus Thursday evening in solidarity with Palestine and continued calls for the university to withdraw from Israel.

The protesters had been preparing to stand their ground when the administration warned they would be removed if they were still there after 10 p.m.; However, they said if police used force they would not resist.

“We remain peaceful,” said Jen, a media representative at the camp who asked to be identified by her first name to ensure her safety. “We’re here just singing and protesting. We are simply exercising our First Amendment rights here, so there should be no justification for police use of force.”

At around 11.15pm on Thursday, police officers arrived and asked them to leave the camp on the lawn in front of Fraser Hall or they would be considered trespassing and arrested.

Most of the group eventually marched down Jayhawk Boulevard and made their way to the Anschutz Library, which is open overnight.

Shortly after midnight, at least three protesters were apparently arrested in the library. They were led out with their hands behind their backs and appeared to be handcuffed. They were taken into a police van. As of 1 a.m. Friday, there were no related arrests recorded in the Douglas County Jail booking log.

Shortly afterwards the group seemed to break up. Police officers were still stationed throughout campus around 12:30 p.m. Friday.

Early Thursday evening, university administrators personally delivered a letter to protesters who are part of KU Students for Justice in Palestine.

The letter stated that the campsite must be completely cleared by 10pm on Thursday and that any person left on the lawn outside Fraser Hall with items identified as “camping paraphernalia” would be removed by police.

Camping supplies are defined in the letter as “furniture, bedding, tarps” and other items.

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“If violations or policy violations occur, we will take swift action using the necessary resources and reserve the right to pursue formal discipline in accordance with applicable university codes and policies,” the letter said. “Furthermore, KU SJP is responsible for all actions of non-KU affiliated individuals who join your congregation.”

On May 1, students first set up camp and called on the university to disclose and deny all financial ties to Israel amid months of violence in Gaza that have killed tens of thousands of people. More than 100 people were present that day and the demonstration was mostly peaceful.

The next morning they returned to camp but eventually began chanting and marching to Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office and other locations on campus. More than 100 Lawrence High School students participated in part of the march.

On Tuesday, they re-established the camp and continued their demonstration, with several students staying overnight.

Protesters said more than 40 officers from campus police and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Lawrence, Baldwin City and Eudora police departments, were present Tuesday night appeared in response to the university’s call. Police from the same agencies showed up again on Thursday evening.

Jen said police took food, water, medication kits, masks, lawn chairs, tents, artwork and other supplies from the camp on Tuesday, calling them trespassing because camping is no longer allowed on campus after 10 p.m. One person was arrested on suspicion of interfering with law enforcement.

According to Jen, their supplies are currently being held in the campus police evidence department. Police told protesters they likely wouldn’t get their belongings back until next week because they needed to take inventory, and said protesters also needed to document what was missing.

Police again confiscated cases of water from a large pile that protesters had accumulated around midnight on Friday. They also took tents and other items to the site.

Police also packed up the tables and chairs that had been set up on Fraser’s lawn.

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The administration’s letter said the KU SJP demonstration had become a threat to commencement as more visitors came to campus for graduation ceremonies that began Thursday.

“Last week, the University of KU allowed SJP to exercise its right to free speech,” the letter said. “Student Affairs staff have repeatedly ensured that KU SJP was aware of relevant policies and informed them when the organization violated these policies. The student organization has not reciprocated our good faith efforts.”

Jen said: “We have to remember that there are currently no universities in Gaza.”

“Course starts this Sunday and the university is making a big deal about it. “There is no beginning in Gaza,” they said.

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Maya Hodison (she/her), stock reporter, can be reached at mhodison (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Read more about her work for the Times here. Check out their employee biographies here.

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