Members of DePaul’s encampment locked arms and guarded the site’s perimeter the morning of May 5 as counter-protesters amassed outside the Quad on Fullerton Avenue.
The Chicago Police Department was already on the scene before the protests began, and, according to Kristin Claes Mathews, DePaul’s senior director of strategic communication, the university did not call them in.
“The police called for backup, as they would do in any similar situation. The police will determine how long it is necessary for them to stay in place,” Mathews told The DePaulia in an email after the protests dispersed.
She said university leadership will share a full update with the DePaul community as soon as “calm is restored on the Lincoln Park Campus.”
During the four-hour confrontation, there were no physical altercations because police and security were separating the two sides.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators chanted from inside the Quad, “Racists, go home!” and “Palestine is ours alone.” Pro-Israel counter-protestors on Fullerton Avenue, shouted, “Free, Free the hostages” and “Show your face,” referencing the face masks many pro-Palestinian protestors were wearing. Pro-Israeli demonstrators also shouted “USA, USA” at various points during the conflict.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators reiterated that they would not leave the encampment until DePaul divests, chanting “Disclose, divest, we will not stop we will not rest.”
DePaul issued multiple Public Safety alerts during the demonstration, notifying students of the police presence on the Quad and telling them to avoid the area.
CPD shut down the sidewalk on Fullerton at about 1:30 p.m.
Both Vice President of Student Affairs Gene Zdziarski and DePaul’s director of public safety, Bob Wachowski, did not comment on the situation.
18th district CPD commander Michael Barz did not grant The DePaulia comment after the protest dispersed.
More frequent updates are available on The DePaulia’s X (formerly Twitter) account: @thedepaulia
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