DETROIT (WWJ) -- The encampment at Wayne State University is gone, after police moved in in riot gear and dismantled it, early Thursday.
WSU Police said they gave notice over a bullhorn shortly after 5:30 a.m., and many of the pro-Palestine protesters left the camp at that time.
Police initially said that three or four people "were detained."
By 10:30 a.m., WWJ's Mike Campbell reported police said, in all, 13 people were detained or arrested.
"The protesters have been, for the most part, peaceful although, loud with their bullhorn and right in the faces of the Wayne State University police in riot gear holding the line trying to, I guess keep them off campus, if you will, on the public sidewalk," Campbell said, reporting from the scene.
WSU student Hi Blocton told Campbell she was among those protesters awakened by officers.
"I mean, this is just crazy, especially with how violent they came in ... We were literally all asleep," Blocton said. "The evening before, I got to camp really late, but it was super quiet when I got to camp last night."
"It's ridiculous to me that they keep claiming that this was, like a health and safety hazard, when yesterday me and a couple of others literally took a walk around campus cleaning up litter because they stopped doing groundswork."
Police said three warnings were given, at 5:35 a.m., 5:45 a.m., and a third two minute later, before teardown began — but Blocton said she didn't hear them.
Mohammed Abulaban, who was also in the encampment when it was torn down, said they were not given enough time to prepare.
Asked simply: "Why continue?", Abulaban said they have not yet been told how much the university invests in Israeli companies they believe support the war in Gaza, which protesters describe as a genocide against the Palestinians.
"That is what we are protesting and part of it while we are protesting right now is for what endowments are in Israeli companies, what investments are in Israel," Abulaban said.
Another protester, who arrived later, said he believes police were strategic with their timing.
"They came in the middle of the night when there was barely any of us. So, it really just shows them for being cowards for not showing up when we're able to protect ourselves," he said.
WSU leaders, for their part, stressed that the protesters were given ample warning before officers moved in to remove the camp.
President Kimberly Andrews Espy cited "health and safety" concerns and disruptions to campus operations. Staff were encouraged to work remotely this week, and in-person summer classes were suspended.
The following statement was issued by Espy Thursday morning:
"The encampment at Wayne State University was removed this morning. 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.
"Starting at approximately 5:30 a.m., officers from the Wayne State University Police Department made repeated amplified announcements to allow everyone time to gather their belongings and leave. Many people left. Final cleanup of the area is ongoing, and campus operations will remain remote for today. We will announce tomorrow’s operations later today.
"At Wayne State, we live by an unwavering set of values – including collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion – as well as a commitment to safety, security and equity for our entire campus community. As president, I have a responsibility to uphold these values for all to live, learn and work.
Since the encampment was established on May 23, it presented legal, health and safety, and operational challenges for our community. University leadership repeatedly engaged with occupants of the encampment; descriptions of our actions and videos of these interactions are archived publicly here.
"In each conversation, we reiterated that the occupants were trespassing on university property, and we asked that the encampment be removed. No individual or group is permitted to claim campus property for their own use and deny others access to that property.
"The encampment created multiple legal, health, and safety challenges that disrupted our operations and required us to shift to remote operations this week. The encampment also created an environment of exclusion – one in which some members of our campus community felt unwelcome and unable to fully participate in campus life.
"Wayne State University has a proud history of supporting freedom of speech, religion, and the right to peacefully protest, while respecting the voices of our students, faculty, staff, and community. When actions violate the law, threaten health and safety, or impair the ability of our campus community to conduct the work of the university, however, we must act.
"Meanwhile, we remain more committed than ever to our mission of creating and advancing knowledge, preparing a diverse student body to thrive, and positively impacting local and global communities.
"Thank you for your continued support of Wayne State’s mission and values."
Talking with WWJ's Jackie Paige and Jonathan Carlson prior to her speech at the Mackinac Policy Conference on Thursday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she respects the protestors' right to free speech, but also understands that action had to be taken by the school.
"We do value free speech, we value debate in this country...and I think that makes us better, actually," Whitmer said. "But, at the same time, there is a line that needs to be drawn when it infringes on other people's ability to attend classes or to feel safe in their community."
"There's no clear, easy way to handle these situations," she added, "but making that balance is always a part of any leader's tough job in these moments."
Michigan Democrat U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib visited the encampment site after it was broken up, offering support to protesters.
Campbell said Tlaib showed up after hearing a report that a hijab, or head scarf, was torn off the head of a young female student.
"No, no, no, she's on her knees! She's on her knees! She's on her knees, her hands are to her back when they took it off," Tlaib told an officer, who responded that he didn't see it happen. "Come on, you guys, I expected a little better for our campus."
This all comes a little more than a week after the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor cleared a similar encampment after 30 days.