The pro-Palestinian encampments – once divided between University Yard and H Street – entered their fifth day Monday as one after protesters breached the metal barricade Sunday night.
More than 100 tents are spread throughout U-Yard and H Street, framing the pile of metal barricades in the center that protesters formed by dismantling the barricades at every corner of U-Yard and tossing it in the pile. Protesters sparred with GW Police Department officers after a student jumped over the barricade and an officer escorted them out. Over the span of the next two and a half hours, protesters rallied around the barricade pile and on H Street, chanting and confronting police and officials.
Prior to Sunday night, the protest had remained largely peaceful. Counterprotesters and protesters occasionally sparked brief tension – pro-Palestinian protesters said a counterprotester shoved them earlier Sunday.
The altercation prompted an increase in Metropolitan Police Department officer presence at the demonstration, which had ended after Thursday when MPD officials declined GW’s request to clear the encampment.
Security guards, who were relocated from their residence hall posts to monitor U-Yard buildings, had outnumbered GWPD officers in the encampment since Saturday evening.
Monday also marks GW’s last day of classes for the spring semester and officials said campus will remain open. Officials placed Bell Hall on emergency mode Saturday and blocked GWorld card access to the building.
The coalition of demonstrators, which includes students from schools around the DC area, said they plan to stay in U-Yard until officials meet their demands: that each university drop charges against student protesters, protect pro-Palestinian speech on its campuses, divest from companies selling technology and weapons to Israel, disclose all endowments and investments, and end all academic partnerships with the state of Israel. It’s unclear if officials have met students at the bargaining table.
Follow along for live updates below:
Updated: 12:27 pm — Outlets in front of GW Law and Lisner Hall stop working
At about 11:20 am, an organizer over a megaphone asked those with portable chargers to bring them to a “designated area.” The Hatchet checked the outlets surrounding U-Yard at the patios in front of Lisner Hall and the GW Law building, but none of them worked. As of Saturday night, the outlets outside of Lisner Hall were working.
A University spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment as to whether or not they shut off outlets in U-Yard and why.
Updated: 12:14 pm — Media presence in U-Yard increases as students lounge on the lawn
The sound of a violin and light chatter begins to echo through University Yard as demonstrators continue to rise for the day. Some apply mascara using their phone cameras while others lounge on picnic blankets they’ve laid out on the yard’s trampled lawn. Others walk their dogs around the lawn, snack on acai bowls and sip drinks from Peet’s coffee.
Media presence across the yard has increased since the barricades fell last night with about two dozen individuals holding cameras and setting up tripods mill about U-Yard, the first time non-campus press have been allowed access to the park since officials added barricades Friday morning .
About a dozen tents remain on H Street while more than 75 have been pitched within the yard, including a tent labeled “art supplies” with cans of paint, scissors, paint brushes and stacks of books.
On a bench near Corcoran Hall, demonstrators pulled hand-painted posters — displaying red, green and black script, bubble letters and images of doves and watermelons — out of an oversized Panera catering tote bag. They stuck messages like “Let Gaza Live” and “Hands of Rafah” onto trees and benches around U-Yard.
Updated: 11:15 am — Organizers announce laundry run
Organizers announced this morning that they would be doing a load of laundry for those in the encampment. Organizers then walked around the encampment asking demonstrators for dirty clothes.
Updated: 9:41 am — Foot traffic increases on last day of classes
As students gear up for their last day of classes, foot traffic has increased throughout U-Yard. Students occasionally stop to take a photo of the encampment, but most continue on undisturbed.
Updated: 8:55 am — Bracey updates students on Monday classes
Provost Chris Bracey said in an email to students Monday morning that despite the “ongoing disturbances” at U-Yard, the University is open and operating with “enhanced safety measures.”
The email states that faculty members who teach classes in Bell, Corcoran, Lisner and Samson halls or the Media and Public Affairs buildings have been contacted and were given the option for their classrooms to be relocated upon request. Bracey also said in the email that all faculty who teach classes on the Foggy Bottom campus have the option of offering them virtually if they choose.
Bracey’s email said the students can expect incoming guidance about the final examination period, which is set to begin on Saturday.
Updated: 7:59 am — Traffic picks up around encampment
Commuter rush hour traffic is building on the streets surrounding the encampment Monday morning.
Updated: 7:19 am — Protesters, media stroll U-Yard
The sun has risen and protesters in the U-Yard encampment are beginning to wake up, with a few early-risers roaming around the camp. Most people are still asleep in tents, while some spent the night in sleeping bags, under blankets on the ground and in hammocks fastened to trees.
Some media crews are strolling through the area, filming clips of the encampment and narrating last night’s events. Groups of GW Police Department officers survey the area, indulging in conversations with one another.
Both encampments remain relatively quiet with an occasional alarm going off to awaken demonstrators from their sleep and a few soft conversations between friends.
Updated: 7:09 am — Officials respond to Sunday night barricade breach
Organizers said Sunday that GW Police Department officers attempted to arrest a student, but officials denied that an arrest occurred according to a University release Monday.
The release states that a student jumped over the metal barricade dividing the University Yard encampment and H Street, after officials barricaded U-Yard and prohibited entry Friday, and a GWPD officer escorted the student out of the encampment. Protesters raced to the northwest entrance where the officer was leading the student out and chanted “Let him go” until the officer released him. A roughly two and a half hour rally took place after the student’s release and about 200 protesters dismantled all barricades and threw them into a pile in the center of U-Yard.
The release states the barricade breach led to the entry of non-GW activists and students into the encampment. Officials will use “every avenue available” to make sure those involved with the Sunday night storming of U-Yard are held responsible for the barricade breach, according to the release.
“This is an egregious violation of community trust and goes far beyond the boundaries of free expression and the right to protest,” the release states.
Officials said Metropolitan Police Department officers will oversee the encampment and officials will deploy additional security measures to address the escalation of the ongoing protest.
“Despite the ongoing disturbance on University Yard, GW is open and operating with enhanced safety measures,” the release states. “We will release additional details as the situation evolves.”
Updated: 6:45 am — Encampment heats up
Monday will be the hottest day for the encampment yet, with a high of 90 degrees around 4 pm The majority of the ongoing protest had been chilly, prompting protesters to don multiple layers to keep themselves warm.
Sunday had a high of 83 degrees around 4 pm and demonstrators stocked up on water, Gatorade and sunscreen to combat the heat.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
