Auraria Campus gives statement after 44 arrested at pro-Palestine rally

DENVER (KDVR) — The Auraria Campus said 44 people were arrested for trespassing after pro-Palestine demonstrators, including students, community members and external community members, violated a campus no-camping policy.

The Auraria Campus is an education center for students at the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver.

On Friday, demonstrators gathered to protest the United States’ support of Israel in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and also demanded that the university divest from Israeli companies, refuse to accept grants from corporations that contract with U.S. Armed Forces, and terminate the university’s study abroad programs to Israel, along with a few other demands.

Event coverage: 40 people arrested at pro-Palestine rally in Denver

Demonstrators reported that Denver police officers used a megaphone to tell a group of demonstrators who had set up tents and remained at the site overnight that if they remained at the camp, they would be considered trespassing and would be arrested and prosecuted. In response, demonstrators locked arms in a makeshift human barricade around their tents.

The campus has a no-camping policy, which it says was violated during the demonstration.

The Denver Police Department said it helped the Auraria Campus Police Department with arresting people after numerous requests to remove camping structures that violate campus policy.

Auraria Campus gives statement

Sunday, the Auraria Campus provided a statement regarding Friday’s events.

“The Auraria Campus and its partner institutions strongly support the right to peacefully demonstrate as long as it’s done so in accordance with the law and campus policies.
Recent demonstrators have established an encampment, which violates campus policy
prohibiting camping and has the potential to cause numerous safety, accessibility, and
public health concerns. Recent demonstrators include our students, community members, and numerous external community members. Once the encampment was established, it became a violation of campus policy and, therefore, unlawful assembly,” the statement said in part.

Auraria Campus said leaders had met with the protesters several times ahead of and during the demonstration to discuss their demands and to tell them about the no-camping policy.

“After numerous attempts at communication and diplomacy and warnings to remove the tents, including sharing the policy in writing, the campers continued to refuse to comply. At that point, police asked campers to remove the tents and leave the encampment, and they arrested those not in compliance for trespassing,” the statement said.

Pro-Palestine rally held at Auraria Campus amid growing national protests

According to the statement, the campus was open, and the encampment was still in front of the Tivoli Student Union on Sunday.

“Auraria institutions and law enforcement agencies continue to closely monitor the event, with the health and safety of our students, employees, and visitors as the top priority,” the statement said.

University of Colorado Denver gives new statement

Michelle Marks, chancellor at the University of Colorado Denver, released a statement Sunday.

“We all strongly support the rights of our students and community members to free speech and to assemble peacefully,” the statement from CU Denver read in part.

According to CU Denver, there have been more than 30 protests on campus during this academic year, most of which were organized by the same student group that led the demonstration that continued into Sunday.

CU Denver said leaders and professional staff have been working with leaders from the Students for a Democratic Society and student government leadership for several months, including during the continuing demonstration.

WATCH: Pro-Palestine protest broken up by police on Auraria Campus

The university said it is “committed to principles of free speech and peaceful assembly,” and noted that the Auraria Campus has policies to protect and enhance the free exchange of ideas.

However, CU Denver said when protesters did not comply with multiple requests to adhere to the no-camping policy, it became unlawful assembly.

“As these events unfold, some community members are asking: What’s wrong with an encampment? Why can’t we leave the campers be? The reality is that encampments can grow very quickly and cause public health and safety concerns. This can cause potentially problematic situations that compromise physical safety and impede our ability to create a welcoming and safe educational environment for our Lynx and campus guests,” CU Denver said in the statement.

CU Denver said some students were distressed by the situation.

The coming weeks will be busy on campus with finals and dozens of on-campus activities.

“As we enter two weeks crucial to student success, we need to reinforce a respectful campus community for teaching and learning, on behalf of all our students,” the statement read. “We will continue in the days and weeks ahead to engage in respectful dialogue on issues on which we can mutually advance CU Denver values of inclusivity, empathy, and global engagement. The fact that members of our community may disagree on a range of topics is in fact a reflection of a healthy educational environment. We have worked hard to create a university at which individuals of all perspectives can have these dialogues in an atmosphere of civility and respect.”

CU Denver said there will be leaders and officials at the Auraria Campus, as well as from the city and the state, to watch over the activity at the Tivoli Quad.

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