Police clear DePaul camp – Chicago Sun-Times

Police clear a pro-Palestinian camp on DePaul University’s Lincoln Park campus Thursday morning.

The camp has been in operation since April 30 and was the oldest in the United States and the last in the Chicago area.

Channel 7 News reports that police officers in riot gear arrived at the scene shortly before 6 a.m

“Our public safety department and the Chicago Police Department are now dismantling the encampment,” university President Rob Manuel said in a written statement early Thursday.

“Every person currently in the camp will be given the opportunity to leave the camp peacefully and without arrest,” the statement said. “I urge everyone there to leave peacefully and return home.”

In the statement, Manuel said he was “saddened” by the development.

“I am writing to you early Thursday morning to let you know that despite our good efforts to reach a common solution with the DePaul Divestment Coalition, we have been unsuccessful,” Manuel said in the statement.

At the weekend, those responsible said they had reached a stalemate with the organizers and could not move forward with negotiations. Ayesh said the camp still wanted to negotiate and had proposed additional meetings, but the administration did not show up. Nevertheless, the people of Gaza remain the focus for them.

This is a developing story. More information can be found here.