Wayne State University encampment dismantled by Detroit police

Police have dismantled a pro-Palestinian encampment Thursday at Wayne State University in Detroit, two days after the school suspended in-person classes and encouraged staff to work remotely to avoid any problems with the protesters’ encampment.

Television footage shows campus police and Detroit police officers in riot gear tearing down fencing before they remove the protesters and start breaking down tents erected last week on green space near Wayne State’s undergraduate library.

Police handcuff and arrest an individual that had been in one of the tents at the encampment here at Wayne State pic.twitter.com/mpQiGEvEV7

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) May 30, 2024

Protesters on site chanted “There’s no riot here, why are you in riot gear?” and marched on Wayne State’s campus; some appeared to clash with officers, WXYZ-TV reports.

Wayne State president Kimberly Andrews Espy said in a statement that university police told people in the encampment about 5:30 a.m. to gather their belongings and leave, The Detroit News reports.

“The encampment at Wayne State University was removed this morning,” Espy is quoted saying. “After ongoing consultation with the Board of Governors, university leadership, and leaders in the community — and after many good-faith efforts to reach a different conclusion — this was the right time to take this necessary step.”