Police arrest pro-Palestinian protesters on Denver campus amid growing concern for Jewish students

Police officers arrested more than two dozen pro-Palestinian protesters on Friday, a day after hundreds occupied a campus shared by three universities in Denver.  

Authorities also cleared several tents that went up near the Tivoli building on the Auraria campus on Thursday, when the protesters made several demands, notably that the University of Colorado divest from corporations that operate in Israel.

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The protest — and the arrests that followed — were the latest in what had been a wave of pro-Palestinian rallies on campuses across the United States in the last several days and increasing worries by Jewish students for their physical safety.   

The decision to arrest the protesters followed similar scenes across several college campuses in the country. The police clashed with protesters at Ohio State University in Columbus. At the California State Polytechnic University in Humboldt, officials closed the campus through this weekend, saying instruction would continue to be remote, after protesters used furniture, tents, chains and zip ties to block entrances to an academic and administrative building on Monday. At New York University, an encampment set up by students swelled to hundreds and the police said 133 protesters had been taken into custody.

In a statement, the Auraria Higher Education Center defended the decision to arrest the protesters by noting a campus policy that prohibits camping on the premises. Campus authorities also suggested that "national disruptors" had infiltrated the protest. 

The authorities said the protesters "set up an encampment and were repeatedly notified that they did not comply with the policy." The authorities added that they tried to keep lines of communication open with the protesters.

"These engagements have been aimed at attentively hearing and comprehending the students' perspectives," the authorities said. "The Auraria Campus and the three higher education institutions continue to be committed to listening to and collaborating with the students and protecting their right to free speech."

Notably, the authorities said some protestors "falsely present themselves as representatives of the higher education institutions," adding, "We know of national disruptors who are not students who have joined this demonstration."

Officers from the Denver and Auraria police departments, along with deputy sheriffs, began arresting protesters shortly after noontime. Earlier, university officials advised people to avoid the Tivoli Quad due to "civil unrest."

Authorities also announced road closures that shut down all inbound traffic to the campus. 

"Shame on you," the protesters booed, yelling at the officers to quit their jobs. 

At some point, the protesters locked arms and surrounded police officers, who pushed and shoved as they entered and exited the crowd "perimeter."

One person handed out tamales to people. Moments later, the tamales were strewn over the lawn after a skirmish between the protesters and officers.

All of this unfolded under the watchful eye of a drone that hovered overhead.

Officers on the scene said people were arrested for unlawful assembly, but that others were handcuffed for assaulting the police.

"We value free speech rights and the right to respectfully demonstrate for all students and Denverites," the Denver Police Department said in a statement, adding it played a supporting role to the Auraria Campus Police Department. "After numerous requests to remove camping structures that violate campus policy, today the Auraria Campus Police Department performed arrests on some individuals who had violated that policy."

Meanwhile, the tents that had been set up the night before lied in a heap on the other side of the lawn in front of the Tivoli Student Center.

The protesters had begun amassing at the campus on Thursday. Among those who joined the protest yesterday was state Rep. Elisabeth Epps, a Democrat who was reprimanded for joining pro-Palestinian protesters in the House gallery back in November. At the time, Epps called fellow lawmakers "fascist." The reprimand from House Speaker Julie McCluskie included a sternly worded warning that such actions in the future could lead to more serious consequences.

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"You are our best shot at this," Epps said, referring to the protesters' goal of "freeing Palestine." "It's always darkest when an empire is about to fall."

State Rep. Tim Hernandez, another Democratic legislator from Denver, also joined Thursday's protest.

"When the sun goes down, you will not be alone," Hernandez said, noting the pro-Palestinian protests occurring in campuses elsewhere in the country.

Hernandez had participated in a pro-Palestine gathering on the west steps of the state Capitol a day after the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel and faced calls for reprimand from Republicans. His Democratic colleagues also called for Hernandez to explain his decision to join the October rally. Nearly a week later, Hernandez condemned Hamas for the violent attack and apologized for the "harm I have caused to many in the Jewish community and the Israeli community this week."

In addition to divestment, the protesters had demanded that the University of Colorado end its study abroad programs to Israel and refuse grants or funding from corporations that contract with the U.S. military.

They demanded that the university "write and publish a statement condemning the genocidal actions of Israel."

While pro-Palestinian protests are not new, the activists in Denver set up about a dozen tents, setting up the showdown with university officials. 

"From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," the protesters chanted.

The river is the Jordan and the sea is the Mediterranean, between which lie Israel and the Palestinian territories. Palestinian activists say it’s a call for peace and equality after 75 years of Israeli statehood and decades-long Israeli military rule over millions of Palestinians.

Jews hear a clear demand for Israel’s annihilation.

Chants of "free, free Palestine" echoed off the Tivoli building. A representative from Protest Legal Defense Committee used a bullhorn to provide legal advice to the protesters, telling the crowd to remain silent, ask for an attorney, don't consent to a search and ask if free to go.

The representative declined to comment to The Denver Gazette.

"For months and months I've been watching children being killed with our money," said Shannon Birch, a Colorado State University senior.

Birch said she had been there all day.

Jazmine Bjelland, a former CU-Denver student, said she came with a first aid kit, a gallon of water and baking soda to treat anyone who might suffer from a tear gas.

Similar protests have erupted elsewhere in the country.

In New York, more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters had been arrested at Columbia University, prompting the Ivy League school to cancel in-person classes and religious leaders to encourage Jewish students to celebrate Passover elsewhere.

At Michigan State University, students set up an encampment on campus to pressure the university to divest in Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Robyn Hughey, executive director of the Hillel Jewish Student Center at the university, called the encampments "deeply concerning and problematic."

"Students have a right to protest, but they do not have the right to intimidate or threaten Jewish students," Hughey said. "Our most important priority is keeping Jewish students safe — first, foremost, and always. The university has indicated that the protesters will be required to obtain a permit from the Board of Trustees to continue their encampment. It is my hope that the board and administration will enforce the universities own ordinances as it continues to balance safety with free speech."

Several organizations said they have noted a rise in antisemitism prior to Oct. 7 — and that has only escalated after the Hamas attacks and Israel's response.

A new study from the Anti-Defamation League and Hillel International, which surveyed American college students, said that, prior to Oct. 7, some 67% of Jewish students felt physically safe on campus. After Oct. 7, that dropped to 46%.

An official of Hillel of Colorado, the local chapter of the Jewish student organization, in February wrote how "we’ve watched the change brew."

"Nowhere in Hillel of Colorado’s mission and vision statements do the words 'working to keep Jewish college students safe from harm' appear. Such a promise wasn’t needed — until now," wrote Shira Teed, the assistant director of the organization.

"We may, indeed, now wonder if the past 70 years or so will go down as our Golden Age for the Jews in America," she said.

As the police left the campus after arresting protesters, the crowd erupted into applause.

“Bye, bye,” they shouted. 

The Associated Press contributed to this article. 

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