PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Two weeks since protesters started an encampment in the middle of the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, the demonstration has expanded, as organizers said their talks with the university Wednesday night went nowhere.
Around a dozen tents were pitched on the lawn to the left of the Ben Franklin statue in front of College Hall Thursday morning. The protesters began the encampment on April 25, only occupying the right side of the lawn.
“Due to the administration’s continued bad-faith negotiations in our meeting this afternoon, THE GAZA SOLIDARITY ENCAMPMENT EXPANDS!” the group Penn Students Against the Occupation of Palestine posted on Instagram around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The encampment’s growth led to an increased police presence.
“Penn continues to focus on the safety of our campus, including expanding security presence in response to the expansion of the encampment, despite our efforts to resolve this situation,” a university spokesperson said in a statement.
In addition to Penn police on location, there were at least six Philadelphia police vans and a handful of SUVs stationed at 34th and Walnut streets early Thursday morning.
Organizers have three demands for the university. They want it to disclose investments and divest from businesses with ties to the Israeli government. They also want the university to defend the rights of students who express support for Palestinians.
University administrators have not changed their position. They continue to say the encampment is a violation of university policies, and the situation has led to harassment and threats between organizers and others.
Administrators continue to face pressure to end the encampment. Jewish students, faculty and alumni delivered a petition with 3,000 signatures to interim President Larry Jameson on May 2, urging him to take action. Since then, negotiations have taken place between officials and organizers without a resolution.