CLEVELAND, Ohio — Defying calls from campus leaders to leave, pro-Palestinian protesters at Case Western Reserve University have expanded their encampment.
Before the fifth day of demonstrations on campus, the group moved barricades from the perimeter of the grassy Kelvin Smith Library (KSL) Oval to the outer edge of the encircling sidewalk. More tents were also erected overnight.
“We’re not going to respect or react to any aggressive tactics our president decides to employ,” said CWRU senior Jad Kamhawi Ogelsby.
Student organizers have reiterated they will only disband the encampment once they can negotiate a list of demands directly with the university president, Eric Kaler. However, school leadership has said they will only negotiate once the demonstration zone clears.
“If they aren’t willing to make progress that way, we are going to make progress with the infrastructure of our encampment,” Ogelsby said.
The group is calling for the university to divest from any Israeli interests, pardon any students involved in the protests and apologize for what they consider were inflammatory remarks about the protesters.
In a Thursday letter to the campus community, Kaler said the encampment was “no longer approved.” The president said protesters violated a deal from earlier in the week, in which they agreed to allow only CWRU students in the encampment overnight and would remove tents each morning.
Kaler said any students or faculty who violated school policy could face discipline, and anyone participating in the encampment could be subject to criminal trespassing charges.
“We continue to support the rights of our students, faculty and staff to protest and express their ideas when they are in accord with university policy,” a CWRU spokesperson said in a statement to News 5. “But constructive dialogue—and the meaningful action that can result from it—should never involve harassment, incitement, or behavior that threatens and is intimidating to our community.”
Student organizers said they were not deterred Friday.
“We’ve had no other choice but to escalate and to push the bounds of the law,” said Ogelsby.
Counter-protesters held their own smaller demonstrations Thursday evening. The group held signs with photos of Israelis taken hostage by Hamas.
“We definitely want the best for all people. We want peace. We want the hostages to be released,” said one man who asked not to be named.
The demonstrations have taken off during finals week at CWRU. Some students not involved with the protests said they hadn’t been affected or felt unsafe because of the large encampment.
“I’ve just been waking up at 7 a.m., going to the library and studying all day, taking exams,” said CWRU sophomore Zachariah Jones.
Others told News 5 they supported the protesters but kept their distance from the encampment and were nervously watching other campus demonstrations turn violent.
“I’m definitely concerned about my fellow classmates and making sure they’re OK. But at the same time, if that’s what they want to do. I have no concern about stopping them from what they want to do,” said CWRU junior Joy Fan.
Administrators weren’t available for on-camera comments on Friday, but in a statement to News 5, a spokesperson said the university was not planning to intervene with the encampment as long as it remained peaceful.
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