Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro calls on Penn to disband encampment

In a speech in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said it was “past time” for Penn to disband the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on College Green.

He said that universities have a “moral responsibility and a legal responsibility to keep their students safe and free from discrimination,” but indicated that he believed Penn has not met those obligations.

“Over the last 24 hours at the University of Pennsylvania, the situation has gotten even more unstable and out of control,” Shapiro said, referencing Wednesday night’s expansion of the encampment. “More rules have been violated, more laws have been broken. That is absolutely unacceptable.”

Shapiro said that although Penn’s leaders have made clear that protesters in the encampment are violating University policies and city laws, attempts at negotiations so far have not been effective. He added that all students have a "legal right" to feel safe on Penn's campus.

“The University of Pennsylvania has an obligation to their safety,” he said. “It is past time for the university to act, to address this, to disband the encampment, and to restore order and safety on campus.”

In response to a question about whether he would act on the state level to remove the encampment, Shapiro called on universities to use their own police departments or to work with their local police departments to “make sure students are safe on campus.”

The Daily Pennsylvanian previously reported that Penn has requested help from the Philadelphia Police Department to clear the encampment, but PPD declined, citing a need for proof of imminent danger. During Wednesday’s expansion, around 40 PPD officers were present on Penn’s campus.

• Philadelphia Police Department declines to disband encampment after Penn requests immediate help

Philadelphia chapter of CAIR condemns disciplinary action against encampment participants

In a statement, the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations denounced Penn's decision to place six students involved with the encampment on mandatory leaves of absence.

"With their decision to ban students from campus, UPenn administration once again failed their students and the Philadelphia community," CAIR-Phildelphia Executive Director Ahmet Tekelioglu wrote in the statement.

Tekelioglu called on 2016 Fels Institute of Government graduate and Philadelphia mayor Cherelle Parker and "all politicians" to "question the Penn interim president's approach that has irrevocably damaged the trust" between Penn and its surrounding communities. He also denounced "the ongoing threat of police violence against students" and called on local authorities to "explore ways to prevent another cycle of violence enacted on protestors."

Tekelioglu added that Penn's decision to exclude Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and Pennsylvania state Rep. Rick Krajewski (D-Philadelphia) from negotiations "is yet another example of an unacceptable bad faith indication."

Mandatory leave of absence letters from Penn allege 'threat to order and safety'

Six student organizers for the Gaza Solidarity Encampment received letters from Penn Vice Provost for University Life Karu Kozuma notifying them of mandatory leaves of absence. In a letter addressed to one of the individuals and obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian, Kozuma writes that the student’s participation in the encampment has contributed to “increasingly unsafe conditions” and “a situation that poses a threat to order and safety.”

The letter cites the Charter of the University of Pennsylvania Student Disciplinary System (Section III.D.) as justification for the disciplinary measure. Those issued the “mandatory temporary leave of absence” are barred from all University-related activities and Penn facilities. One student was unable to access her dorm room after her PennCard was deactivated, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Violation of the restrictions above may result in further disciplinary action,” the letter concludes. “The University reserves the right to modify your status or impose additional restrictions if it determines, in its sole discretion, that such action is warranted by new information.”

PAO criticizes new disciplinary measures in statement

Penn Students Against the Occupation of Palestine wrote in a statement on Instagramthat the six students involved in the encampment who were placed on mandatory leaves of absence did not receive hearings before Provost John Jackson Jr., as required by the Charter of the University Disciplinary System. In the statement, PAO also alleges that the decision was made without consultation and approval of each student's academic dean.

The Daily Pennsylvanian could not confirm the allegations. A request for comment was left with a University spokesperson.

"These cases have been manipulated to keep perceived leaders of the encampment off campus," the statement wrote. "This is a corruption of the Community Standards and Accountability process, devoid of open expression policies, and clear proof it is University administrators — not organizers — who are bad-faith actors."

The statement says that the disciplinary measures were conveyed by Vice Provost for University Life Karu Kozuma this morning. It says that Kozuma's letter told students they cannot enter academic buildings, be present on campus, or participate in programming — including classes and graduation-related activities.

Two of the students banned from campus are on the encampment's negotiations team, while the student locked out of her dorm is an international student, according to the statement.

PAO further described the administration's allegations that the encampment contributes to “increasingly unsafe conditions” as a "display of hypocrisy."

The group wrote that they reject the characterization of student organizers as "exceptional threats," criticizing Penn for failing to confront "academic devastation, scholasticide, and destruction of over 445 academic institutions in Gaza." It also criticized the University for not taking action against counterprotesters.

"Karu Kozuma did get one thing right: 'you and other organizers have persisted,'" the statement read. "And we will continue to do so."

Here's what a mandatory leave of absence means

According to the University handbook, a mandatory leave of absence is used in “extraordinary circumstances” for “when a student’s presence on campus is deemed by the University to be a threat to order, health, safety, or the conduct of the University’s educational mission.”

The handbook adds that “at the respondent’s request, and where feasible, the [Office of Student Conduct] may expedite the investigation of a complaint and the disciplinary hearing against a student placed on a mandatory temporary leave of absence.”

• Penn places six students on leave of absence due to affiliation with Gaza Solidarity Encampment

Penn places six students on leave of absence due to affiliation with Gaza Solidarity Encampment

Penn placed six student organizers affiliated with the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on mandatory leaves of absence on Thursday morning, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The Center for Community Standards and Accountability disciplined six Penn students affiliated with the pro-Palestinian encampment on College Green, placing them on leaves of absence until their disciplinary cases have concluded, the source said. A Penn undergraduate originally announced at a press conference at 12 p.m. that the students were suspended, but the source clarified that this was not the case.

The speaker also alleged that one student was evicted without notice from their dorm. The Daily Pennsylvanian could not immediately confirm the speaker's allegations about the student's eviction.

• Penn places six students on leave of absence due to affiliation with Gaza Solidarity Encampment

Penn implements 'added security' for Commencement

Penn is planning added security protocols for this year’s Commencement ceremony and has removed details about the student procession as it responds to the ongoing Gaza Solidarity Encampment.

In a message to "Parents, Families, and Friends" sent at 1:22 p.m. Wednesday and obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian, the Office of the University Secretary outlined several measures that it will take to ensure “the safety of all in attendance” at Commencement, which will take place on May 20 at Franklin Field. These measures include airport-style security, a no-bag policy, and PennCard checks for all graduates to enter the field.

InformationInformation about a processional of graduates, which normally travels from High Rise Field to Franklin Field, has also been updated on the Commencement site to remove specific information about the path of the procession, according to website archives.

Read more below.

• Penn implements 'added security' for 2024 Commencement, removes details about student procession

Protest dies down and quiet hours begin, as organizers screen series of Palestinian films

Chants largely ceased and police departed the encampment as organizers assembled a makeshift projector screen on the eastern side of the Ben Franklin statue in front of College Hall. Encampment organizers announced that several decades-old Palestinian documentary films would be screened.

Movies included “Scenes From the Occupation in Gaza,” which recounted resistance efforts by Palestinians, with one scene showing the ambush of an Israeli patrol.

Other films highlighted life inside Palestinian refugee encampments, footage of Israeli air strikes; female Palestinians recounting discrimination faced due to their background; and the life and work of a Palestine Liberation Organization filmmaker.

At the close of the final movie, “The Urgent Call of Palestine,” an organizer stood to announce the start of “quiet hours.”

Screenings were interrupted several times when organizers led chants to drown out bouts of heckling from passerby. At one point during the second film, organizers replaced the original projector screen — which resembled a hanging bedsheet — with a purpose-built screen.

Encampment expansion met with backlash from pro-Israel community members

College senior Eyal Yakoby and Perelman School of Medicine professor Benjamin Abella — both of whom have organized events in opposition to the encampment — expressed displeasure with the encampment’s expansion. They also criticized the lack of action from Penn and government officials in posts on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“While students study for finals, not only did the Penn encampment double in size tonight but because of the violence, Penn’s library has been shut down,” Yakoby wrote in one post. “Penn continues to neglect its students.”

In another post on X, Yakoby asked if “a counter-terrorism unit on Penn’s campus … seem[s] normal” to Sen. Bob Casey (D–Pa.), Sen. John Fetterman (D–Pa.), and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, whom he mentioned in the post.

“It is time to intervene,” he wrote. “The people of Pennsylvania elected you to protect your residents. Not to sit idly by.”

Abella wrote in a post on X that the encampment “has been allowed to fester for far too long.”

“It is now finals — and students who have no interest in this conflict are having their end of semester ruined,” he wrote. “Penn is refusing to act. And tonight — there are clear signs of escalation.”

Yakoby also posted the link to a second petition addressed to Interim Penn President Larry Jameson, Provost John Jackson Jr., and the Board of Trustees. The petition demands the “immediate removal of the encampment,” the suspension of faculty and students involved in the encampment, and the University “bring[ing] in the FBI and Homeland Security” to investigate the encampment.

The second petition comes after Yakoby and Abella hand-delivered a petition demanding an end to the encampment — which was signed by over 3,200 members of the Penn community — to a senior official in Jameson’s office on May 2.

Penn increases security in response to encampment expansion, spokesperson says

“Penn continues to focus on the safety of our campus, including expanding security presence in response to the expansion of the encampment, despite our efforts to resolve this situation,” a University spokesperson wrote to The Daily Pennsylvanian.

PIPAC denounces Ben Franklin statue vandalism

In a post on Instagram, the Penn Israel Public Affairs Committee criticized the drawing of an inverted red triangle on the forehead of the Ben Franklin statue in front of College Hall earlier this evening. The symbol has previously been documented in use by the pro-Palestinian movement, by the military wing of Hamas, and by the Nazis.

"This is a symbol utilized by Nazis," the group wrote in an Instagram story post. "Enough is enough. These Hamas, terrorist supporters should not be allowed on our campus."

Amazon union organizer alleges company "tied up" with "US imperialism"

An Amazon warehouse worker representing the organization Amazonians United — which is allegedly attempting to organize a union — accused Amazon of being “very tied in with the military industrial complex of the U.S.” to the gathered crowd.

The speaker, identified as Linda, accused the tech giant of profiting “off the suffering of our co-workers” and recounted an incident when a co-worker allegedly died on the warehouse floor.

“The management didn’t even want to stop the production for that day,” she said. “So they put boxes around her dead body. The workers would continue working without knowing that they had a dead co-worker right next to them.”

“Corporate media right now is doing everything they possibly can to convince you that public pressure is against you,” she added. “In fact, we are proud of you.”

UNITE HERE worker speaks to encampment

Nathaniel Philip, a member of the Philadelphia labor union UNITE HERE Local 274 and a cook at the Philadelphia airport, spoke to the gathered crowd about their personal ties to the conflict in Gaza.

Philip referenced the British colonization of India and how their family — who is from Kerala, India — was particularly affected by the “manufactured famine.”

“The genocide, the ongoing ethnic cleansing, ties back in part to Zionist collaboration with, once again, the British Empire over a hundred years ago,” they said. “It’s personal for me.”

Philip emphasized the importance of recognizing the humanity in everyone and “fighting the rulers to take back what they have, what they want, to seize our own dignity, to seize our own survival, and to seize our humanity.”

Penn Carey Law National Lawyers Guild releases statement in support of encampment

After a pro-Palestinian rally that included the expansion of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment to the other side of College Green, the Penn Carey Law National Lawyers’ Guild released a statement on Instagram in support of the protesters and their demands to disclose, divest, and defend.

“The current moment calls upon all of us to hold our institutions accountable for their part in supporting the relentless genocide of the Palestinian people,” the statement reads. “We condemn Penn’s repeated threats against members of the encampment, who are peacefully exercising their First Amendment right to free speech and protest.”

The statement lists Penn’s “fear tactics” as including constant police surveillance, distributing threatening campus-wide communications, opening CSA cases, encouraging verbal abuse from administrators, and making “baseless” allegations of state and federal legal violations. It also denounces Penn’s support for counterprotesters who have “compromised the safety of encampment members via racist verbal harassment, chemical attacks, and physical violence."

“Despite claiming to support students’ right to protest, Penn has prioritized condoning genocide over students' safety, belonging, and cries to act in the face of moral evil," it says.

The statement accuses Penn of running the risk of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act for their decision to “surveil, threaten, and punish pro-Palestinian protesters in excess of every other cause.” It states that the NLG has been legally observing the encampment and is particularly concerned by the growing trend of “university-sanctioned illegal arrests and uses of violent police force against student and community protesters.”

The statement concludes by urging Penn to respect protected speech and reject violent and unnecessary uses of police force against students who have engaged in peaceful tactics, and it encourages students to show up to protect the encampment.

“In the present moment, there is nothing more important than interrogating the ways in which our own institutions function to abet genocide and recognizing our power to challenge an onslaught that has killed over 35,000 people,” the statement said.

Protesters draw pro-Palestinian symbol on Ben Franklin forehead

Several protesters drew an inverted red triangle in marker on the forehead of the Ben Franklin statue in front of College Hall.

The red triangle painted on the Ben Franklin statue accompanied pro-Palestinian signs and symbols on and around the statue. The inverted red triangle has been documented in use for a number of notable purposes as a symbol, including by the pro-Palestinian movement as a representation of solidarity with Palestinians, by the military wing of Hamas to identify targets, and by the Nazis to identify political prisoners.

An organizer standing on the statue told protesters to turn to the person next to them, “unless you’re a Zionist,” to share favorite moments from the speakers.

The protesters then began to sing “Which side are you on?”

City of Philadelphia library worker condemns Dwight Evans

A library worker for the City of Philadelphia spoke at the rally and criticized Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Pa.) — who represents University City — for failing to put adequate pressure on President Joe Biden.

“He has refused to use legislative power to push Biden to understand Philadelphia does not stand with genocide,” the speaker said.

He listed Evans’ phone number and the neighborhoods his offices are in with a call for protesters to “make his life hell.”

Rutgers University professor speaks to encampment

Rutgers University professor Noor Erakat spoke about ongoing violence perpetrated by Israel during its invasion into Rafah. She criticized Israel for targeting a population that is mostly children.

“Israel is not inadvertently killing babies, it is targeting children,” Erakat said. “It is deliberately attempting to prevent a Palestinian future. It is deliberately trying to erase a Palestinian past.”

Erakat also said that Zionism’s moral power “will never be rehabilitated.”

“Zionism’s moral power and narrative power has been buried in the flesh of Palestinian babies, buried in the hospitals destroyed, buried in universities destroyed,” she said.

Erakat also pointed to Palestinians’ support for anti-police brutality protesters in Ferguson, Mo., explaining that organizers in Palestine told Ferguson protesters how to remove tear gas.

“It became a Black Palestinian movement, it became a renewal of transnational alliances,” she said. “Don’t you try to tell us we’re dangerous. The only thing that’s dangerous is our power.”

Erakat’s speech ended with protesters chanting “PPD, KKK, IOF, they’re all the same,” and “Back up, back up, we want our freedom, freedom, tell these Zionist pigs we don’t need them.”

Stockton University professor of Holocaust and genocide studies Raz Segal speaks at rally

Raz Segal, a professor of Holocaust and genocide studies at Stockton University, spoke about the death and displacement of Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023 at the rally.

“All of this [violence] with unashamed and open U.S. support, massive support,” Segal said. “This is your legacy, President Biden. The supporter and enabler of Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.”

Segal, who identifies as Jewish and spoke at protests on Penn’s campus in fall 2023 about the Palestine Writes Literature Festival, directly addressed Director of Penn’s Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies Steven Weitzman about a letter sent by the center’s board of directors.

“We stand against the settler colonialism … you [Weitzman] have shamefully chosen to support,” Segal said.

Segal also spoke about Interim Penn President Larry Jameson’s negotiations with student organizers in the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, and addressed him to ask that he “stand with us now on the right side of history.”

“President Jameson, do not put your students in danger,” Segal said. “Many colleagues of mine and [professor Omer Bartov], other Holocaust and genocide studies scholars also wrote to you to remind you that this is indeed your job, at the very least, to protect your students.”

Speaker alleges that PPD officers are trained in Israel

A speaker is now comparing the Philadelphia Police Department to the Israel Defense Forces, alleging that PPD officers are trained in Israel.

As the speaker spoke, a police officer turned to his left to ask a colleague if he was trained in Israel. The officer shrugged in response.

“We keep one another safe,” the speaker said. Demonstrators then resumed chants of “Free, free Palestine.”

The DP could not immediately corroborate these allegations.

Entrance to Van Pelt Library now closed

The entrance to Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center is now completely closed — even to members of the Penn community — as the rally continues on College Green.

Allied Universal security guards were previously checking PennCards manually.

Encampment expansion due to administration's refusal to meet any demands in afternoon meeting, PAO says

A 7:35 p.m. Instagram post by Penn Students Against the Occupation of Palestine says that the Gaza Solidarity Encampment is expanding as a result of "the administration's refusal to meet a single demand in our meeting this afternoon."

The post includes a video of a large group of protesters and new tents on the east side of College Green, across from where the initial encampment was established two weeks ago.

"We need you on College Green now!" it reads.

Yesterday, an encampment spokesperson called their meeting with Penn administrators "very optimistic."

Graduate student union speaks at encampment

Two graduate student speakers affiliated with Graduate Employees Together - University of Pennsylvania spoke at the encampment at around 7:30 p.m.

The first student said they were “deeply disgusted” by Penn’s “loyalty to outside donors and trustees,” criticizing the University for “limiting dissent” on campus.

They called on the University to meet the protesters’ demands by disclosing its investments and cutting ties with Ghost Robotics — a company based in Pennovation Works that develops robot dogs allegedly used by the Israeli military.

“The brave workers and students are showing the violence inflicted upon the Palestinian people,” they said.

The second speaker compared pro-Palestinian organizing to GET-UP’s union organizing.

“As workers, as students, there is only one weapon we have: organization,” the speaker said. “Luckily, it’s a deeply powerful weapon.”

They continued by describing the encampment’s organizing as “f**king hard, a massive, difficult undertaking even under most favorable conditions.”

“We can’t give up now,” they said. “We must recognize Israel’s death siege for what it is.”

At least 40 Philadelphia, University police officers surround encampment

At least 40 police officers have surrounded protesters as the rally continues.

Members of the Philadelphia Police Department, some of whom carry zip tie handcuffs and wear badges identifying them as members of the “Major Incident Response Team” and “Counterterrorism Unit,” are grouped to the east of the encampment.

PennAlert issued on demonstration; Van Pelt Library manually checking PennCards

At 7:37 p.m., Penn's Division of Public Safety sent out a UPennAlert notification warning of a "LARGE DEMONSTRATION ON COLLEGE GREEN." DPS added that police are on scene and recommended that individuals "avoid the area."

In addition, Allied Universal security guards are manually checking PennCards and opening the entrance gates at Van Pelt-Dietrich Library. Students may still enter the building.