Pro-Palestinian protesters set up encampment at Wayne State University
(CBS DETROIT) - Wayne State University officials say pro-Palestinian protesters set up an encampment on campus Thursday evening.
CBS News Detroit went to the encampment, where protesters set up tents. WSU campus police and Detroit police were monitoring the area.
Wayne State University issued the following statement:
"Earlier this evening, a small encampment of pro-Palestinian protestors was set up on our campus. It is an evolving situation, with public safety on site to ensure that it is peaceful, safe, and non-disruptive to our campus operations."
Protesters told CBS News Detroit that they held a rally before setting up the encampment. Two WSU alumni who were at the encampment said the goal is to push for the university to divest from companies and investment funds with ties to Israel. The two women said they planned to have an encampment there until their demands were met.
"Some of our demands are to divest from more manufacturing companies such as the S&P 500 portfolio. Also, we want the Board of Governors to recognize the student Senate-passed resolution, the police resolution," WSU alum Zaynah Jadallah told CBS News Detroit.
In Ann Arbor, police cleared an encampment on the University of Michigan's campus Tuesday morning after more than a month.
The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office confirmed that U of M police arrested four people. Those four have since been released and no charges were filed.
Similar protests have been held on college campuses across the U.S.
Students and others have been voicing their concerns about how Israel has waged the war against Hamas in Gaza. Some of the protests have also led to clashes with police and at some campuses, Jewish students say they've been the targets of antisemitic attacks.
