Pro-Palestinian protesters have set up a new encampment at Drexel University in Philadelphia, prompting a lockdown of school buildings. The encampment, established on the Korman Quad on the campus, was initiated by about 75 protesters after several hundred demonstrators marched from Philadelphia’s City Hall to west Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon. Drexel President John Fry expressed concerns about safety due to potential hateful speech and intimidating behavior at the demonstration. University buildings were only open to those with clearance from Drexel’s Public Safety, and authorities were closely monitoring the situation to ensure peaceful behavior.
The Drexel demonstration followed an attempted occupation of a school building at the neighboring University of Pennsylvania campus, where members of Penn Students Against the Occupation of Palestine had gathered at Fisher-Bennett Hall. The campus police, supported by city police, removed the demonstrators, arresting 19 people, including six University of Pennsylvania students. Officials found lock-picking tools, metal shields, exit doors secured with zip ties and barbed wire, and other items suggesting a planned occupation. The attempted occupation came after a previous two-week encampment on the Penn campus was broken up by city and campus police, leading to the arrest of 33 people.
The protests on college campuses are part of a nationwide movement urging colleges to cut financial ties with Israel in response to the Israel-Hamas war. Tensions over the conflict have been escalating on campuses since the fall, with demonstrations spreading after a police crackdown on an encampment at Columbia University. Nearly 3,000 people have been arrested on U.S. campuses in the past month, but with summer break approaching, there have been fewer new arrests and a calmer atmosphere on campuses. However, colleges remain vigilant for disruptions to commencement ceremonies as tensions persist.
The Israel-Hamas war, which began when Hamas and other militants stormed into southern Israel, has resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages. Palestinian militants still hold around 100 captives, while Israel’s military has killed over 35,000 people in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its casualty figures. The ongoing conflict has fueled protests and demonstrations around the world, with calls for solidarity with Palestine and condemnation of the Israeli government’s actions. The encampments at Drexel and Penn are part of a broader movement seeking to raise awareness and push for change in the U.S. response to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
