DePaul University warns of possible "escalated confrontations" at pro-Palestinian encampment
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A large police presence amassed on the Lincoln Park campus of DePaul University Friday night, as protests grew at the pro-Palestinian protest encampment that has been in place since last week.
The encampment, termed the DePaul Liberation Zone, began on Tuesday of last week.
On Friday, DePaul University President Robert L. Manuel, Provost Salma Ghanem, and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Sherri Sidler issued a letter expressing concern about escalating confrontations and advising everyone to avoid the quad:
"Today, we received calls from external entities specifically referencing the battery incident that occurred last night and indicating the possibility of escalated confrontations at the encampment.
"We urge all members of the DePaul community, including all those in the encampment, to avoid the quad. We asked Chicago Police to closely monitor the situation in and around the campus as a preventative safety measure for all involved.
"There is no known threat to other locations in the campus community and regular operations will continue.
"We intend to continue the conversation with the student leaders in the DePaul Divestment Coalition. The safety of our community must continue to be our top priority.
"We pray our university community will listen to our pleas to keep everyone safe."
Police said they were monitoring the situation Friday night.
On Sunday, clashes erupted at DePaul as pro-Palestinian protesters at the encampment were met with pro-Israel counter-protesters. School administrators at that point also called Chicago Police to intervene.
In one violent clash Sunday, which CBS 2 is told happened at a different location on campus, two pro-Israel protesters used their flag poles to attack a pro-Palestinian protester.
Officers later lined up between the two groups, and some of the pro-Israel protesters spilled into the street, obstructing traffic. At the time, the university issued an alert urging students to avoid the area and to remain inside their buildings.
A similar encampment at the University of Chicago's Hyde Park campus was cleared by University of Chicago Police in the early-morning hours Tuesday. An encampment at Northwestern University in Evanston was voluntarily taken down after five days, after the university struck a deal with the protesters .
