Despite ultimatum, protest encampment remains at Johns Hopkins University

BALTIMORE - Pro-Palestinian protesters were told to pack up their encampment at Johns Hopkins University by Wednesday evening or risk discipline.

Despite the ultimatum, dozens of tents remain in place on the campus.

The university offered students the chance to sign the pledge by 6 p.m. on Wednesday, promising they were not going to return, disrupt graduation ceremonies or engage in further demonstrations that violate school policy.

In exchange, Hopkins would not take disciplinary action. 

University officials also promised the letter would not go on the students' permanent record, impact their grades or ability to graduate. 

The letter given to the protesters states that if the encampment is removed from campus, "the university will defer taking conduct action for your participation in encampment-related activities since April 29, 2024.

Johns Hopkins encampment grows  

In response, WJZ watched as demonstrators instead expanded the size of their encampment.  

"It ends when Hopkins is willing to hear us out and meet ground, common ground, at the meeting table," one protester told WJZ.

"We have plans of leaving of course and that's when admins meet our demands," another protester said. "Otherwise, what's the point of protesting if they're going to tell you, 'Oh, you can only protest within these guidelines.' That's not protesting. That's just following the rules."

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott mentioned that Baltimore City Police will not get involved unless things take a turn.

His office said they are closely monitoring the situation and talking with university officials. 

Failed negotiations

Over the last ten days, negotiations between protest organizers and university administration have failed.

"Rather than directly email or approach us after yesterday's negotiation, the University cowardly sent its faculty to liaise and disseminate these papers," said Hopkins Justice Collective, the group that organized the encampment on campus. 

"While an email was sent to the larger student body with the digital form over an hour later, the University failed to give any notice or reasoning for the threats leveraged in its content."  

Organizers for Hopkins Justice Collective said Tuesday's meeting with university administration lasted six hours and no agreement was reached.

The group said university leaders did not approach the table with an offer that engaged their demands.

"We refuse the University's scare tactics," Hopkins Justice Collective said. "After yesterday's meeting with the administration, which produced a miserable offer to the encampment, this move from the University reads as despicable and fear-mongering. The encampment has yet to receive any word from the administration about resuming negotiations.  

What are protesters asking for?

Hopkins Justice Collective listed five demands for university officials -- divest, disclose, boycott, demilitarize and denounce.

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  

How long has the encampment been on campus?

Protests and an encampment at the Baltimore campus are on their 10th day with more than 100 Palestine supporters camping out. 

Johns Hopkins University President Ron Daniels last week called for an end to the encampment. However, protesters say they are not satisfied until their demands are met.  

"It ends once Hopkins is willing to hear us out and meet common ground at the meeting table," one protester said.

Daniels offered to consider divestment in October of 2025.

'We've extended multiple offers'

The Hopkins Justice Collective said in a press release that threats of disciplinary action have escalated, and "immediate discipline" was threatened if the pro-Palestinian protesters did not accept the university's offer. 

Johns Hopkins officials said in a statement that they presented "multiple offers and engaged in negotiations."

"The university is continuing to work to bring the encampment to a close given the serious risk of conflict and harm to the university community, as seen here already and at peer institutions around the country," a Johns Hopkins University spokesperson said.

 "Since the inception of the encampment, we've been in regular contact with students participating in the encampment and the Hopkins Justice Collective." 

 Johns Hopkins University officials said they are weighing discipline options for those who "trespass" as part of the encampment.

"As part of this process, Student Affairs extended to students an opportunity to leave the encampment with reduced disciplinary consequences provided they commit not to return and not to engage in future disruptions that violate our guidelines for protest and free expression," a spokesperson said. "We are pursuing other avenues for those who remain and would remind everyone that participation in the encampment is a trespass. We remain seriously concerned by the safety risks of the encampment."

Encampment cleared in Washington D.C.

Early Wednesday morning, Washington DC police cleared an encampment on the campus of George Washington University. 

According to police, 33 people were arrested, 29 of those arrests were for unlawful entry, and four were for assault on a police officer.