The Drexel Encampment

Up to 60 protesters established an encampment of tents on Drexel’s Korman Quad on Sunday, according to a statement from University President John Fry. Fry said most of the demonstrators did not appear to be affiliated with Drexel, which has around 22,000 students.

While acknowledging the right to peaceful protest, Fry condemned the encampment as “intolerably disruptive” and said there were “distressing reports and images of protesters subjecting passersby to antisemitic speech, signs and chants.” He stated the encampment must end and said Drexel was coordinating with local officials and police to ensure campus safety.

By Sunday, about a dozen tents remained at the encampment site, which was blocked off by barricades and monitored by police officers. No arrests were reported, but university buildings were only accessible to those approved by security.

The encampment followed a march on Saturday from Philadelphia’s City Hall to the university area by several hundred demonstrators expressing solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict with Israel.

Attempted U-Penn Building Occupation

The Drexel protest came just one day after pro-Palestinian activists attempted to occupy a building at the nearby University of Pennsylvania campus on Friday night. Members of the group “Penn Students Against the Occupation of Palestine” had urged supporters to bring noisemakers, flags and other materials for an action at Penn’s Fisher-Bennett Hall.

However, the university said campus police, supported by city officers, removed the demonstrators that night and arrested 19 people, including 6 Penn students. Authorities reported finding lock-picking tools, makeshift shields, barricaded entrances and covered windows, indicating an attempt to occupy the building.

Of those arrested, 7 face felony charges, including one accused of assaulting an officer, while 12 received citations for failing to disperse. It came just a week after police broke up a two-week encampment at Penn, arresting 33 more protesters.

Protests Nationwide

The Philadelphia demonstrations are part of a wave of pro-Palestinian activism and civil disobedience that has swept across U.S. college campuses in recent weeks amid the deadly conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups.

At George Washington University in D.C. on Sunday, dozens of graduates disrupted commencement by walking out during the president’s speech while chanting and waving Palestinian flags. This followed a cleared protest encampment there last week involving pepper spray and arrests.

For nearly a month, tent “occupations” have sprung up at universities across the country, with nearly 3,000 related arrests so far as students pressure schools to cut financial ties with Israel. While demonstrations have slowed with approaching summer breaks, colleges remain watchful for potential commencement disruptions.

The Conflict’s Backdrop

The protests come against the backdrop of the latest eruption of Israeli-Palestinian violence, which began in early October when Palestinian militants stormed into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 250 more hostage.

Since then, Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has killed over 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, though the numbers don’t distinguish civilians from combatants. Palestinian groups still hold around 100 Israeli captives.

In his commencement speech at Morehouse College on Sunday, President Biden said he had called for an immediate ceasefire amid the “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza, where scenes have been “heartbreaking.” Some Morehouse graduates wore keffiyeh scarves in apparent solidarity with Palestinians.

With no resolution in sight, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems certain to continue fueling activism—and corresponding university disruptions—on campuses across the United States in the weeks and months ahead. I sincerely hope you find this “Philadelphia University Occupied, Pro-Palestinian Protesters Set Up New Encampment” article helpful.

Skylar Lacey

Skylar Lacey, a Travel and Tourism Management graduate from Temple University, offers 5 years of experience in travel writing and airport logistics at PhiladelphiaAirport.net. Her expertise helps travelers make the most of their journeys through Philadelphia International Airport. Connect with her on Instagram for more travel tips and insights.

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