UPDATE: UI pro-Palestine encampment continues into Monday
Update 2:15 p.m.
Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz identified the two Champaign men who were arrested on Friday during the initial pro-Palestine encampment.
25-year-old George Vassilatos and 37-year-old Christopher Zelle are both charged with mob action, a Class 4 felony. Vassilatos was also charged with obstructing a peace officer, while Zelle was charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer.
Neither of the men are students at the university. Vassilatos was given a notice to appear in court on Wednesday, May 1. Zelle will be arraigned on Monday.
READ MORE: Champaign men arrested at UI protest charged with mob action
Update 12:30 p.m.
Protest organizers have announced that Monday demonstrations will begin at 1 p.m.
They added that they will not leave their encampment on the Main Quad until the University of Illinois divests from institutions that support Israel. Representatives of the UIUC chapter for Students for Justice in Palestine say they are standing in solidarity with Palestinians and Gazans.
Update 11 a.m. on 4/29
Protestors remain on-site with tents still set up. So far, no arrests have been made during this protest; two people who are not students were arrested on Friday.
Update 10:20 p.m.
Pro-Palestine protestors on University of Illinois’ Main Quad are settling in for the night.
The demonstration has continued for more than nine hours so far. Tents remain up on campus, despite warnings of interim suspension or even arrest for violating campus policy against encampment structures. Law enforcement still has yet to appear.
U of I Jewish communities respond to campus pro-Palestine protests
University officials plan on classes and activities proceeding as normal. After closing around 3 p.m. on Sunday, the Illini Union announced on social media that it will reopen at 7 a.m. on Monday and resume normal operating hours.
Update 9:00 p.m.
Chancellor Robert Jones sent out a Massmail message to the campus community late Sunday in response to the ongoing pro-Palestine protests at University of Illinois.
In the message, Jones said he and President Timothy Killeen offered to meet directly with protest representatives to discuss questions and concerns — only if they remove their encampment structures. Jones said this offer was refused.
“They have been told that violations of our rules or of state or local laws are subject to consequences including arrest, and for university students, interim suspension,” Jones said.
UIUC pro-Palestine encampment timeline in photos
The Massmail went on to say that the university adheres to first amendment rights and is committed to keeping campus a safe place for all.
“Demonstrators in compliance with university policies are allowed to remain in public space as long as they continue to abide by university policies and state and federal laws. These measures are in place to maintain the physical safety of our campus and so that all campus community members can continue to benefit from the academic experience we are here to provide,” the message read in part.
Protest organizers spoke to fellow demonstrators via megaphone shortly after the release of the Massmail message, claiming that the message was largely a lie. They said representatives have been in back-and-forth conversations with university officials for most of the day through Associate Vice Chancellor Tim Hintz, whom organizers referred to as a “middleman.”
Demonstrators added that the tents “are for divestment,” and until the university agrees to divest from companies that support Israel, they will not consider taking the tents down.
Looking forward, Jones said university classes and activities are expected to continue as usual on Monday.
Update 8:15 p.m.
Negotiations between protest leaders and University of Illinois staff are still ongoing outside of Lincoln Hall.
Update 7:10 p.m.
An on-scene WCIA reporter overheard university staff speaking with protestors about next steps.
In the meantime, a busload of protestors from Chicago are now reportedly making a return trip home. The Chicago-based demonstrators arrived shortly after the protest began on Sunday.
Update at 6:30 p.m.
While tents and canopies are settled across UIUC’s Main Quad, law enforcement has still not made an appearance.
There are reports of some police on Green Street nearby, but they have not yet approached the encampment.
Meanwhile, Illini Chabad has released a statement in response to the protests, emphasizing a commitment to safety and “unwavering support for all of our fellow Jewish brothers and sisters.”
READ MORE: Illini Chabad responds to campus pro-Palestine protests
Update at 5:35 p.m.
SJP UIUC announced that tents are now being set up at the Main Quad on the University of Illinois campus.
Earlier on Sunday, U of I spokesperson Robin Kaler stated that so long as encampment structures were not established and protestors weren’t in violation of university policies or criminal laws, the demonstrations could continue.
Organizers have been heard reading a phone number over a speaker for demonstrators to memorize and call in the event they are arrested and need to be bailed out. So far, no law enforcement has been seen at the protest.
Update at 4:30 p.m.
The University of Illinois responded to the SJP UIUC’s earlier statement on Friday’s protests and negotiation.
In part, spokesperson Robin Kaler said,
All of our actions and efforts have been and will continue to be focused on keeping our campus community safe and providing our students the best possible educational experience. The university and the campus-related groups that made demands already had a meeting scheduled for early next week to discuss those items.
READ MORE: SJP UIUC shares statement on protest negotiations, lists demands
In the meantime, organizers are urging protestors not to speak to university administration or counter-protestors.
Earlier, demonstrators held a brief de-escalation and security training session in an effort to prepare for the event of arrests.
Update at 3:45 p.m.
The University of Illinois’ chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine has released a statement on social media regarding their protest on Friday and their negotiations with university leadership that night.
The statement includes a list of demands as well as clarification as to why Sunday’s protest was not relocated to the previously agreed upon space near Spurlock Museum. Chapter leaders called the three-hour negotiation on Friday “a facade,” where they say Chancellor Jones and Tim Killeen were unwilling to meet their demands.
Protestors speak out on 17-hour-long U of I demonstration
They demanded that the University of Illinois:
Divest from “zionist weapon manufacturers and institutions”
Disclose all financial assets, including investments, endowments, and other holdings
Seize all ties with “genocidal corporations”
Grant amnesty to all student protesters
Also in the statement, representatives from SJC UIUC said they feel they cannot sufficiently mobilize and spread their message from the outskirts of campus. This is why they opted to gather at the Main Quad on Sunday.
Update at 3 p.m.
The Illini Union has announced via social media that the building is closed until further notice.
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — A pro-Palestine protest on the University of Illinois campus that began on Friday has resumed after a quiet Saturday.
The protestors set up an encampment on Friday, demanding that the university stop investing in Israel. University officials said encampment structures such as tents violate university policy and attempts by police to remove the structures were met with pushback from protestors.
A standoff then began which lasted into late Friday night. An agreement was made between university administrators and demonstrators in which the encampment would relocate to a public access green space near Gregory and Oregon Streets. On Saturday, organizers announced that they planned for to resume the encampment either that night or on Sunday.
Hundreds of UIUC students participate in pro-Palestine rally
Sunday afternoon, organizers called on protestors to meet at the Main Quad, instead of the previously agreed-to green space. Roughly 50 protestors have now gathered near Foellinger Auditorium. While some demonstrators have brought tents and canopies in tow, encampment structures have not yet been set up.
U of I spokesperson Robin Kaler told WCIA that Student Affairs staff have reminded protestors of the rules regarding demonstrations. They are allowed to be on the Quad, Kaler said, as long as they do not set up any structures and follow all applicable university guidelines.
This is a developing story.
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