Chicago police clear out DePaul University pro-Palestinian protest encampment on Lincoln Park campus; 2 arrested

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago police cleared out a pro-Palestinian encampment on DePaul University’s Lincoln Park quad Thursday morning.

Officers in riot gear were seen on the North Side campus just before 6 a.m.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The encampment had been in place for over two weeks; it began on April 30.

In a letter to faculty, staff and students early Thursday, DePaul President Robert L. Manuel said, “despite our good faith efforts to come to a shared resolution with the DePaul Divestment Coalition, we were unsuccessful.”

He said since the encampment began, “the situation has steadily escalated with physical altercations, credible threats of violence from people not associated with our community, an inability for the other members of our community to take part in the core academic experiences on our campus, and an ever-growing series of threats to the people involved in the encampment and our community members.”

The letter said those in the encampment were given the opportunity to leave peacefully, without being arrested.

“I urge all there to leave peacefully and return home,” Manuel said.

Police appeared to quickly clear out the site, and protesters moved down Fullerton Avenue. No physical confrontations could be seen, but some protesters claimed police forcibly removed them.

Chicago police held a news conference about 7:45 a.m., saying there were no confrontations, but two people were arrested.

A man and woman, ages 21 and 25, were arrested for obstructing traffic on Belden Avenue, police and DePaul said.

Protesters moved into the neighborhood after being cleared out of the quad, and police blocked some roadways in the area.

The DePaul president said during the encampment, protesters vandalized university buildings, causing nearly $180,000 in damage.

DePaul’s quad and all other green spaces on the school’s Lincoln Park campus will be closed to everyone while repairs are made, the president said.

“Anyone who tries to breach the fence around the quad or any of the green spaces on the Lincoln Park Campus will be trespassed, arrested, and suspended. DePaul will continue to investigate every reported complaint of harassment or discrimination that we receive resulting from the encampment or subsequent events,” he said.

The school said classes will proceed as scheduled Thursday.

The school had given protesters a deadline of noon Sunday to remove the encampment, but they had remained until Thursday.

Students told ABC7 Chicago they were preparing for and coming up with plans in case the university tried to forcibly clear the encampment themselves.

DePaul’s was one of the last remaining anti-war encampments in the Chicago area. Throughout the last month, college campuses across the country have seen large-scale protests.

“It is shameful that DePaul chose to abruptly and violently engage in a raid on students early in the morning without warning. I condemn their use of force rather than engaging in dialogue with the students. I am proud of the students for being the voice of reason,” Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez said in a statement.

There was a student walkout at DePaul University Wednesday after students in the encampment and the administration reached an impasse on demands to divest from Israel.

By 4 p.m. Wednesday, there was a large group of protesters and their supporters in the center of the quad, listening to speakers and chanting rallying cries, in what had been overall a loud but peaceful gathering.

Encampment organizers said they mobilized a 3 p.m. walkout of students and faculty; though, it was not immediately clear how many actually walked out of class.

The gathering was a show of solidarity with protesters who had been camped out for more than two weeks, calling for the university to divest from companies that benefit Israel.

READ MORE: DePaul pro-Palestinian encampment reaches 2-week mark, as protesters refuse to leave quad

DePaul’s president has said he respects the rights of students to protest, but said the encampment has drawn counter-protesters which have led to security concerns. DePaul said talks with protesters reached an impasse a few days ago, which prompted the university to cancel a planned music festival that was to be held in the quad Friday.

Encampment organizers said they were willing to keep talking.

RELATED: Protesters deny DePaul University’s request to vacate encampment as negotiations ‘are at an impasse’

“We did invite them a few days ago to another negotiation meeting in which they pulled a no-show. They didn’t even offer us an email as to why they couldn’t. So, yeah, we are still willing to negotiate. We’re still here. We’re not, we’re always going to be willing to negotiate. It’s more so on administration side,” said Henna Ayesh of the DePaul Divestment Coalition.

Protest organizers said they chose Wednesday for the walkout in part because many Palestinians mark this date as the start of displacement following Israel’s Independence Day on May 14, 1948.

Alderman Timmy Knudsen, who represents the 43rd Ward, released a statement Thursday, saying:

“This morning, CPD and DePaul University campus security took action to remove the DePaul encampment. We are in touch with university leadership and City officials and will keep residents updated as we learn more about the next steps for the area.

“Please click here for a detailed explanation from DePaul.

“As the conflict in the Middle East continues, we will continue to advocate for the City to balance a commitment to upholding First Amendment rights to protest, while ensuring our neighborhoods remain safe.”

The Rev. Michael Pfleger also put out a statement, saying, “Very Disappointed in DePaul University for having CPD close down the Encampment this morning Msgr Jack Egan would be Ashamed of you. Demanding Disinvestment from Israel due to the Apartheid taking place in Gaza is our very Catholic roots. And the DNA OF OUR FAITH. A sad day for DePaul University.”