Protesters at DU refuse to show ID; university discusses disciplinary action

Kim Posey
·2 min read
19

DENVER (KDVR) — University of Denver officials are notifying protesters that they could face disciplinary action if they continue to refuse to show their IDs.

The chancellor said the ID checks help to promote safety while the group demonstrates against Israel’s actions in Gaza. On Monday, campus safety officers are very visible around the encampment.

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The group DU for Palestine has been set up there since last week with demands similar to those at other schools. Those include demands for the disclosure of investments tied to Israel and the divestment from them.

“We’re not shutting down any classes. We haven’t disrupted campus flow in any way,” said JoJo Carranza, a member of DU for Palestine.

The chancellor has made it clear that overnight protests are allowed, but only for students, faculty and staff. Overnight protesters are now being asked to show their IDs, but many are refusing.

“We do not show IDs to admin,” Carranza said.

“Protests are inherently against protocols. If they were within the institution’s rules and protocols, they wouldn’t really be a protest,” he added.

Many protesters fear punitive measures, Carranza said, although the school said that is not what the ID checks are for. However, refusal to show ID could have consequences.

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A DU spokesperson said: “The group has been non-compliant as a whole in most ID checks. With noncompliance – from the group or an individual – comes disciplinary action. We have begun notifying individuals and the encampment as a whole of these actions. Students are required by the honor code to comply with a “reasonable request” and showing an ID on a regular basis to help support a safe environment is a reasonable request.”

Letters distributed to students at the encampment explained that if a student is given an interim suspension, the student could not attend class, live in university housing or be on the premises.

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