Pro-Palestinian protesters list demands as encampment grows at Johns Hopkins University

BALTIMORE -- Pro-Palestinian protesters have provided a list of demands to Johns Hopkins University leaders as the encampment on campus is in its second week.

The list includes five bullet points -- divest, disclose, boycott, demilitarize and denounce.

The students and community members who are part of this demonstration continue to demand that the university divest all financial ties from Israel.

The encampment is led by the "Hopkins Justice Collective," who shared their list of demands, which include JHU financially divesting from the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

The group demands JHU to:

• Hopkins financially divest from the Israeli occupation of Palestine
• Provide an honest and full account of its complicity in the crimes committed against Palestinians, as a first step toward transparency
• To cease all partnerships with the Israeli educational military-industrial complex
• The total demilitarization of Johns Hopkins, including the APL and Johns Hopkins Police Department
• End the silence on the genocide of Palestinians and the silencing of pro-Palestinian speech  

The university has warned protesters that it would take disciplinary and legal action if anyone violated the campus's safety rules, but there are no known arrests as of Monday.

They are planning a vigil Monday evening in honor of Palestinians who have been killed since the war began in Gaza.

The vigil is in partnership with a group called "American Muslims for Palestine."

Johns Hopkins' provost sent a message to students Sunday saying that the university has tried repeatedly to meet with the protesters over the weekend, but they have refused to schedule one until Tuesday afternoon.

The provost also said that the protesters have told him that they plan to camp out on campus for the next several weeks.

"Student safety is paramount and everyone is for the idea of free speech but we also need to make sure that students' individual safety is of the utmost importance," Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

The university is taking other actions to secure the campus as some students are voicing their concerns about their safety.

 WJZ spoke with a Jewish student at the university who says she was attacked by someone holding a Palestinian flag on campus.

According to the university's student affairs and public safety departments, multiple people have reported to them about safety concerns on campus.

As a response, the university now requires people to show Hopkins IDs when entering residence halls. Buildings on the Homewood campus will only be accessible to people with a J-Card.

The administration said students shall refrain from any discriminatory speech as it violates the university's policy.

With final exams approaching, the university's administration is asking protesters to respect quiet hours, which start after 8 p.m.

Since commencement is May 23, the administration adds they have asked the protesters to remove their signs from here as this is a common place for parents and students to gather to take graduation photos.