Denver police confronted pro-Palestine protesters assembled on Denver’s Auraria Campus on Friday, arresting anyone who did not clear the area by 12:45 p.m.
Chants of “long live Palestine” and “free Palestine” continued to fill the Tivoli Quad just before 1:30 p.m. even as police handcuffed and removed demonstrators from the scene.
“You push me one more time, you’re going to jail,” a Denver police officer can be heard telling assembled students in a video as other officers carried a protester off the quad by her arms and legs.
— Katie Langford (@Katielangford35) April 26, 2024
The Auraria Campus — home to the University of Colorado Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver and Community College of Denver — first sent out an alert to avoid the Tivoli Quad “due to civil unrest” at 12:30 p.m. Friday. As of 1:15 p.m., all inbound traffic into the campus remained closed.
“Failure to disperse will subject each of you to arrest and prosecution,” police officers can be heard telling protestors in a video posted by the Colorado Palestine Coalition on Instagram Friday afternoon. “If you remain, reasonable and necessary force will be used to remove you”
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The protest started Thursday as students pitched more than a dozen tents and carried in food and water to the Tivoli Quad, pledging to stay in the encampment until CU officials met their demand that the university divest from activities and funding related to Israel.
“We fully support the right of students to assemble peacefully,” an Auraria spokesperson wrote in a statement Friday. “Still, it’s essential to note that Auraria Campus policy prohibits camping on the premises because of health, safety and security considerations. Participants set up an encampment and were repeatedly notified that they did not comply with the policy.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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