Police disperse anti-Israel encampment at University of Wisconsin, several detained

By AP 1 May 2024, 5:21 pm

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Police are removing an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Wisconsin’s Madison campus and have taken away several protesters.

Several police officers arrived at the encampment on the campus’ Library Mall around 7 a.m. and played a recorded message on a loop saying it was a final warning and that protesters were in violation of university code, WISC-TV reports.

About 20 minutes later, nearly 60 police officers, some with riot shields, arrived and began removing tents and other items, the station reports.

Video from WISC-TV shows police with riot shields pushing against protesters and the protesters pushing back while chanting slogans, including “Free Free Palestine.” The station says that at least 10 protesters were taken away by police with their hands zip-tied by officers.

I’m on the UW Madison campus where police in riot gear seem to be preparing to remove the encampment on library mall pic.twitter.com/EN0TzFxn6d

— Laura Schulte (@SchulteLaura) May 1, 2024

Police later removed some tents that had remained at the encampment, but about 30 protesters surrounded another tent to prevent officers from reaching it.

Campus leaders and police warned students last week to comply with state law and university rules, which prohibit unauthorized camping on campus. But on Monday, several hundred protesters gathered on the Mall, located between Memorial Library and the Wisconsin Historical Society, and established an encampment, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.