CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Police have dismantled the pro-Palestinian encampment that has occupied the DePaul University campus for more than two weeks.
Dozens of Chicago police officers arrived around 5:30 a.m. Thursday, taking down signs and removing tents off the quad near Fullerton and North Seminary Avenues.
Around the same time, DePaul University President Robert Manuel issued an email to the campus community. He said the university was unsuccessful in coming to an agreement with the DePaul Divestment Coalition and that campus police and CPD would begin to take down the encampment.
No one in the encampment was arrested, but Manuel said one current student and one former student were arrested for obstructing traffic on Belden Avenue after police cleared out the encampment.
“I understand that the last 17 days have been stressful for many, not only within our campus, but also for those who live and work in our neighboring community," Manuel wrote in a later statement. "We are saddened that the situation came to the point where law enforcement intervention was necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all – both within and outside the encampment.”
DePaul Student Simrin Bains slept overnight on the quad and said she had left her friends and items on the quad this morning and when she returned, "everything was gone."
"I think the best thing way I can describe it is, like, absolutely heartbroken," Bains said.
Although the encampment is gone, Bains argued the protestors are not.
"Just because they took the encampment done in a rather hostile way, in my opinion, unfair way, that does not mean we're not going to fight for Palestine anymore," Bains said. "The Palestinian liberation cause started well before I was on this earth, and it will continue until Palestine is free, regardless of what form it takes."
Chicago police said all those staying in the encampment agreed to leave the Quad without incident. However, two individuals were arrested outside the encampment because they were were obstructing traffic, police said.
Pro-Palesinian demonstrators lingered and rallied round the Lincoln Park campus for several hours after police moved in. According to WBBM's Carolina Garibay, officers were blocking the campus entrance.
In his latest statement, Manuel noted there was a death threat against a student as well as vandalism on the campus that totaled nearly $180,000 in damages.
"While we hold tight to the belief that free speech must continue, we are equally clear that the encampment cannot," Manuel said.
The university president said the Quad and all other green spaces on campus will be closed until further notice.
The DePaul encampment was assembled on the campus Quad on April 30.
Sunday, Manuel wrote to protest organizers, saying their negotiations had reached a stalemate. But, the student-led group alleged university officials walked away from talks and tried to force students into signing an agreement.
Demonstrators have called on the university to disclose and divest from any companies that are supporting the Israel-Hamas war.
This marks the third pro-Palestinian tent encampment to be disassembled on Chicago area college campuses.
Last week, a pro-Palestinian tent encampment was cleared by officers in riot gear at the University of Chicago after administrators who had initially adopted a permissive approach said the protesters had crossed a line.
Last month, Northwestern struck a deal with protesters to remove a tent encampment from the on-campus Deering Meadow.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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