Police disbanded the two-week-old pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Pennsylvania this morning, resulting in 33 arrests of those who defied orders to leave, 6ABC reported.
A Penn spokesperson said the university’s police department and the Philadelphia Police Department began an operation around 5:30 a.m. to dismantle the encampment. Protesters received a two-minute warning 20 minutes later to leave.
Some of the protesters defied order and locked arms by the Benjamin Franklin statue on College Green. Thirty-three people were arrested without incident and cited for defiant trespass, according to the university.
“Those who chose to stay did so knowing that they would be arrested and removed,” the university said in a statement.
By mid-morning, the encampment site was cleared out, although fences prevented people from accessing the area.
And some protest sympathizers gathered at 34th and Walnut streets later in the morning.
The protesters at the encampment were asking the university to disclose its investments and cut ties with businesses that support Israel.
The previous day, Gov Josh Shapiro said it was “past time for the university to act, to address this, to disband this encampment and restore order and safety on campus.”
“All students should feel safe when they’re on campus. All students have a legal right to feel safe on campus, and the University of Pennsylvania has an obligation to their safety. It is past time for the university to act, to address this to disband the encampment and to restore order and safety on campus,” Shapiro said.
