This article was last updated at 11:28 on 5/1.
Inside a police perimeter, pro-Palestinian protesters have successfully established a Gaza solidarity camp on the Peace Quad.
Starting just at sundown, protesters intend to remain encamped through the next few days.
The encampment came at the conclusion of a five hour Palestine Solidarity Festival organized by the Divest from Death coalition. The festival featured various speakers, live music and sign painting.
With a string fence lined with posters closing off the encampment, dozens of protestors have set up tents and distributed food and water to participants. Counter protesters have gathered just outside the encampment, although no conflict between the two groups has occurred.
During the festival, the Divest from Death coalition, a coalition of now 27 campus organizations, posted a statement on their Instagram account claiming that the Student Association leaders “attempted to obscure information and lie to SA congress members about their knowledge of the Judicial Board’s ruling.” This statement, as well as information about the J-Board’s ruling was shared by a speaker to festival goers.
In the J-board’s ruling, now shared publicly, three clauses from the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions resolution were found to be unconstitutional under the SA’s constitution.
Divest from Death stated the demands of the “liberated zone” in a post on Instagram. Their 8 demands for the university administration range from divestment and financial transparency to a recognition of the war in Gaza as a genocide.
One demand insists on a public meeting between representatives of the coalition and University President Harvey Stenger to discuss the BDS resolution that was recently overruled by the Judicial Board.
These are developing stories and will be updated as Pipe Dream receives more information.