Protesters, University of Denver leaders meet for first time since encampment began
DENVER (KDVR) — For the first time since a pro-Palestine encampment went up at the University of Denver last week, protesters and school leaders met to talk about the group’s demands.
“We went into that meeting really wanting to talk about disclosure, that’s really the first step of all of our demands,” said JoJo Carranza, a DU student and member of DU for Palestine.
The group said they didn’t get the outcome they hoped for.
“Our demands were not met,” said Carranza.
DU establishes interim protest policy after pro-Palestine encampment set up
Rachel Roberts, a Jewish student and another member of DU for Palestine, said school leaders responded the same way each time they brought up disclosing school investments.
“The biggest thing that we were hearing is that it’s complicated, it’s complex,” said Roberts.
Roberts said she and the other protesters feel differently.
“It’s actually quite simple,” said Roberts. “This is a genocide. We are showing up for oppressed people, for justice.”
Despite the university saying on Thursday that it would allow the encampment to remain, the protesters claim that on Saturday night, they were threatened by school administration and campus police with a sweep and that arrests could happen if they didn’t comply with requests.
“That everyone in the camp needed to show IDs,” said Carranza.
University of Denver spokesperson Jon Stone responded to FOX31 with this statement:
We have not threatened ‘sweeps’ and have not used that term. Our goal is to verify, through checking IDs, that the individuals within the encampment are DU students, as is required by the University. We reminded the students of their responsibility to follow policy for the safety and well-being of all students participating in the encampment and across the University.
Unfortunately, encampments across the country have taught us that this practice is sound in terms of maintaining safety and the ability of the encampment students to continue to use their voices productively and respectfully. 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.”
University of Denver
The protesters said they did not feel safe complying with that request. They said the school has agreed to a second meeting but does not have a date planned.
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