Pro-Palestinian protest encampment grows at Auraria Campus

Vicente Arenas
·2 min read
9

DENVER (KDVR) — Pro-Palestinian protesters continued their rally on the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver on Monday.

This time, though, there were police in sight.

“On Friday, when police decided to show up, they warned any of you students on account of civil unrest. I can guarantee none of that was happening while I was here,” Students for a Democratic Society member Semira Oliver said.

More than 40 people were arrested on Friday as they set up an encampment and protested, demanding an end to the Israel-Hamas war. The campus said free speech is welcome, but encampments are not.

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

Of those arrested, 22 were students who were mostly charged with trespassing, according to a spokesperson for Auraria Higher Education Center.

FOX31 spoke to Lucia Feast, who said she was hauled off to jail but returned to the protest.

“We are going to be here ’til our demands are met. Genocide is wrong and we do not support it as students on this campus,” Feast said.

Protesters are demanding the University of Colorado Denver meet seven of the organization’s demands. Among them, they want CU to condemn what the group describes as genocidal actions in Israel, and they want a face-to-face meeting with CU Denver’s chancellor within two weeks.

They also demand that the charges against those arrested on Friday be dropped.

“I just really hope that one day we can get to a place where everyone is safe and has housing and has food and doesn’t have to fear for their lives,” said Community College of Denver student Gizelle, who asked not to use her last name.

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

Some students said their tuition money should not be spent on companies that support Israel.

“They won’t tell us how our own tuition money is aiding genocide across the world. Disclose and divest: Those are our demands,” Students for a Democratic Society member Ben Dirghalli said.

At the encampment on Monday, groups were learning more about how to protest effectively.

The sizes of the tents present at the protest vary. Some are holding supplies. Others held sleeping bags. All could be signs some of these protesters are ready to stay on the Tivoli Quad for a while.

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