Pro-Palestine protestors on the University of Arizona campus on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
This is a developing story.
A group of pro-Palestine protestors regrouped before noon outside the Administration Building on the campus of the University of Arizona on Wednesday, hours after a violent confrontation between activists and law enforcement in the early morning.
The group, which included people with signs and a bullhorn, shifted its focus to criticizing University Administration and law enforcement’s treatment of protestors, while continuing their calls for the university to divest from Israel and Raytheon.
“The University of Arizona announced that they would be taking down a peaceful protest on our campus grounds..." an organizer told the crowd this morning. "This soon ended up with police advancing on the encampment, and tearing down the belongings of our peaceful protesters, and using their violence to make a fundamental statement, that the University of Arizona cares more about their investments in arms, than they do about their own students.
Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems sells weapons to Israel and other U.S. allies. Some of the technology used in Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system comes from the company.
Chants of “disclose, divest, we will not stop we will not rest” were repeated throughout last night’s standoff with police.
For the third day in a row, pro-Palestine protestors were on the University of Arizona campus on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
Police and Protestors Clash
Early Wednesday morning, dozens of police officers from Tucson Police Department, Pima County Sheriff’s Department, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety stormed a pro-Palestine encampment near the university's Main Gate at the corner of Park Avenue and University Boulevard.
Officers first started trying to enter the encampment shortly before 11. After removing a few of the folding tables and two-by-fours that made up the outside barrier, the officers retreated and continued to surround the encampment for several hours. A crowd of counterprotestors and onlookers grew well past midnight.
Counterprotestors and onlookers frequently yelled at police officers to “start their engines,” and began numerous chants of “USA.”
Protestors from inside the encampment periodically threw bottles at police officers that approached.
Police officer getting dragged away from UA Pro Palestinian encampment as protestors throw water bottles. pic.twitter.com/TafsePtyYi
— Hannah Cree (@cree_reports) May 1, 2024
UAPD Sergeant Andrew Valenzuela repeatedly told protestors over the loudspeakers that they would deploy “chemical munitions” if objects continued to be thrown.
Law enforcement acted following a statement issued by University of Arizona President Robert Robbins that directed them "to immediately enforce campus use policies and all corresponding laws without further warning."
Almost immediately after the University’s announcement, protestors left the encampment to join the crowd that filled Park Avenue. Most of these individuals were also Palestinian activists and carried signs, flags, and makeshift drums.
Those on the front lines linked arms as police advanced in riot gear, followed by law enforcement vehicles.
Gas and pepper balls were deployed, and several protestors were taken to the ground by police. Lead organizer Harlow Parkin said he was hit in the head with a rubber bullet.
“I was on the front lines. They ripped my keffiyeh off my face…All I was doing was trying to hold strong with my comrades, and I’m so impressed and proud of what we were able to do today,” he said.
While officers pushed protestors down Park Avenue towards Speedway, SWAT officers tore down pop-up tents and barricades.
Scenes just now from the University of Arizona. Police are putting on gas masks. pic.twitter.com/MljDoZlZdu
— Hannah Cree (@cree_reports) May 1, 2024
The crowd of spectators and protestors numbered close to 1,000 by the time they broke up the protest just after 2:00 a.m.
Administration Responds
UA President Robert Robbins sent out a campus-wide email about the incident Wednesday afternoon.
He confirmed a student, graduate student, and two community members affiliated with the university were arrested and charged. All were charged with criminal trespass, and one received an additional charge of aggravated assault against a police officer.
Robbins said protestors violated campus use policies and ignored adequate warnings to disperse from law enforcement.
“The University and members of law enforcement sought to avoid escalation of the situation and continued to provide repeated warnings, including the possibility of arrest. Protestors ignored the warning, continued to reinforce their encampment and chanted, ‘If you come in, we will fight you,’” the statement reads.
No large gatherings or events will be allowed on campus without a permit, and “shade coverings, including canopies and tents” are now prohibited, according to the statement.
Robbins also wrote UAPD “will take a zero-tolerance approach” going forward, “which can include issuing no warnings before taking action.”
Christopher Conover and Zac Ziegler contributed to this report.
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