6 University of Pennsylvania student protesters placed on leave as pro-Palestinian encampment reaches Day 15
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Students are beginning to be punished for their roles in the pro-Palestinian protest encampment on the University of Pennsylvania's campus.
On Thursday, 12 student protesters are now facing disciplinary actions, including six who have been placed on mandatory/temporary leave, a university spokesperson said.
Protesters said many of them are seniors. Right now, it's unclear how it will impact their graduation.
"We didn't think the school would stoop so low. But clearly, they have," said a protester who only wanted to be identified as an undergraduate student at the university.
The undergraduate student was also speaking on behalf of the encampment. He said protesters have been asking since Day 1 for the university to give students disciplinary amnesty.
Now that the university has decided to place six students on mandatory/temporary leave, he said it's an example of their unwillingness to negotiate with protesters in good faith.
"We are not sure how this will affect graduation for the seniors as of right now," he said. "The school has not sent more information about [it]."
In response to what protesters call a breakdown in negotiations and the disciplinary decisions, they decided to expand the encampment. Protesters moved more than a half dozen tents to an additional section of Penn's College Green on campus.
A Penn spokesperson sent CBS News Philadelphia a statement in response to the encampment expansion: "Penn continues to focus on safety of our campus, including expanding security presence in response to the expansion of the encampment despite our efforts to resolve the situation."
A petition signed by Penn students, faculty and alumni with more than 3,000 signatures was delivered to Penn interim president J. Larry Jameson Jameson's office last week. Sources said another petition with nearly 2,000 signatures will be delivered to the Penn administration within the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, freshman student Ben Messafi said he continues to be disappointed in the university for allowing the protest to continue.
Messafi, a Jewish student, said the presence of the encampment has made him and other Jewish students uncomfortable.
"I think the university has done something but unfortunately it hasn't been communicated and it hasn't led to the removal of the encampment, which is what we are ultimately aiming for," Messafi said.
