Protesters set up tents at pro-Palestinian rallies

On Monday, hundreds of people, primarily students, demonstrated in support of peace in Gaza and the severing of university ties with Israel at pro-Palestinian demonstrations held at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and UW-Madison.

Several pro-Palestinian protestors were detained by New York police at Columbia University on Monday, marking the first planned rallies in Wisconsin since then. That started a nationwide chain reaction of protests at other colleges. Numerous people have used the issue of free speech to incite confrontations between protesters and university officials.

As the day goes on, come back for updates.

4:13 P.M. M. These Palestinian supporters say it would be unfortunate if the police moved in.

According to two local leaders, it would be bad for police to detain UWM student protestors and then proceed to forcibly dismantle their camp. It was unclear what, if anything, the police had planned.

The director of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, Othman Atta, contended that students were peacefully demonstrating and using their First Amendment rights.

Atta, a UWM alum, claimed that the protest reminded him of earlier protest movements, like those that took place in the wake of the 1982 Lebanon War.

He characterized today’s students as “taking the university to task for not holding a moral and ethical stance.”. “They witness tens of thousands of innocent people, including kids, being slain. “.

Debate and free speech are the main goals of college campuses, according to Jodi Melamed, faculty adviser for Marquette University’s Students for Justice in Palestine.

“The university sending in the cops to criminalize its own students would be unconscionable,” she declared.

4 p.m. me. A Jewish employee of UW-Madison stops by demonstrators to offer encouragement.

Assistant director of the UW-Madison Middle East Studies Program Tsela Barr said she came to the Library Mall in support of the students spearheading the demonstration. Jews make up Barr’s membership in the local chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, a national organization.

Speaking out against Israeli atrocities is Barr’s moral obligation as a Jew. “.

Since 1985, Barr has been an activist for Palestinian solidarity, and she believes that the rise in social media and the internet is making young Jews more critical of Israel.

Speaking up as a Jew and saying, “Not in our name,” is more crucial than ever, according to Barr. It is impossible to mix up criticism of Israel and antisemitism. “.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel earlier revealed that the federal Department of Education launched an inquiry this semester to determine whether UW-Madison did not adequately shield its Jewish students from harassment. After UW-Madison and several other universities received a complaint from Campus Reform, a conservative news outlet, an investigation was started.

4:00 p.m. m. UW-Milwaukee pupils are “ready for any amount of time we might require.”.

For the encampment, a coalition of UWM student organizations, including the Muslim Student Association, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Students for a Democratic Society, was formed. The Coalition of Popular Universities for Palestine is the new name of the organization.

Journalists were referred to a particular Palestinian-American student leader by student organizers, who chose not to give her name out for publication. The demonstrators also advised the press not to speak with police or reporters.

“We have everything we need to last for however long it takes. Until our demands are met, we will stop at nothing. The least we can do to help the people of Gaza is this. Our goal is not to idle away our time,” declared the student body president. We’ll finish it whether it takes two days, three days, or a whole week. We are supported by the community. “.

Remarkably, renaming the Golda Meir Library is no longer on the list of demands made by the UWM students. Protesters had previously demanded it.

3:12 a.m. m. The UW-Milwaukee encampment is quiet because the police are stationed nearby.

People were sitting on blankets on the grass, chatting and snacking while tossing footballs and volleyballs at the quiet UW-Milwaukee encampment. Supporters distributed water bottles, bags of chips, and cheese pizza slices at one tent.

Palestinian music was played by speakers, and Palestinian flags that were anchored in the ground fluttered in the wind.

A police officer informed the students that the delivery of two porta-potties was not permitted, so the truck delivering the restrooms left without unloading them.

They had a perimeter made of ropes strung between trees, but people were free to come and go.

A block or so away, several police officers were stationed, but none of them were intervening to stop the demonstrators. To put an end to the encampment, one officer informed a reporter that he was unable to say if the officers would move inside.

2:19 p.m. m. Federation has maintained communication with the administration and Jewish students at UW-Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s chief communications officer, Michael Harryman, stated that because Monday is Passover, the federation would not be making any specific comments on the protests.

Jewish people celebrate Passover, which concludes on Tuesday, for eight days when it is observed outside of Israel.

The group has been collaborating with Hillel Milwaukee, a Jewish youth organization, and has been in contact with the UW-Milwaukee administration, according to a text message from Harryman.

The UW-Madison administration has not been contacted, but Harryman stated that they “support their messages reminding the community about the importance of peaceful and respectful protest while exercising our First Amendment rights.”.

Again citing Passover as an excuse, neither Hillel Milwaukee nor the UW-Madison branch of the organization responded to requests for comment.

2.48 p.m. m. Students at UW-Milwaukee view protest as a moral struggle.

Before the encampment was established, Samia Saeed spoke with the Journal Sentinel and mentioned that she had seen reports of protesters being tased and snipers on roofs at other universities. Saeed, a junior majoring in journalism and marketing, chairs the Students for a Democratic Society’s social media committee.

“We are afraid, no doubt about it, but we are not more afraid of getting shot at or arrested than we are of doing nothing for our Palestinian siblings,” the woman stated.

“Our numbers will always outnumber those of the UWM administration, law enforcement, or any other opposing party,” stated Saeed.

According to a student, who identified himself as a junior majoring in political science and pre-law, being a Muslim has presented challenges this academic year. He refused to reveal his identity out of concern for retaliation.

“It’s difficult to concentrate on your education when you’re aware that my taxes and tuition are funding a genocide that is taking place,” the man remarked.

2:20 p.m. m. Tents will remain up, according to protesters at UW-Madison.

Tents will remain erected on the UW-Madison campus for as long as the university refuses to budge, according to protestors’ revised plans.

Demonstrators are willing to stay “indefinitely” until UW-Madison accedes to their demand to divest from arms manufacturers associated with Israel, according to Dahlia Saba, a first-year graduate student.

The camp would probably stay for at least a day, according to UW-Madison professor Samer Alatout. He is one of several academics who serve as a mediator between students and administrators.

In the last five months, he claimed, “we have been able to establish open channels of communication with the administration.”. Our hope is that we can strengthen those lines of communication to steer clear of what’s occurring on other campuses across the country. “.”.

Camping is prohibited on campus, according to a statement made by UW-Madison last week. Alatout made note of how the rule allows the chancellor to grant an exception.

He said, “Yeah, the rule ought to be obeyed, but we hope the chancellor realizes that she could also relax it.”.

Saba said UW-Madison’s priorities were “shameful” when asked why protestors chose to continue with the encampment in spite of the obvious warning. ****.

“Having tents on a lawn is more important to the university than cutting funding for violence in the face of a genocide that has killed tens of thousands of people, including over 15,000 children,” the speaker said. We are here today to demonstrate that the university’s threats will not intimidate us. “.”.

1:30 p.m. M. Men who are both American-Palestinian and Orthodox Jews argue.

Four or five Orthodox Jews showed up for the UWM rally.

Muslim community leaders urged the Palestinian-American men to leave the room during a quiet but heated discussion about Zionism between an orthodox Jewish man and a few men from the Palestinian-American community. “Don’t waste your time,” said Othman Atta, the director of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, to the Palestinian-Americans. “.

Students were practicing a traditional dance at the encampment nearby while music was playing.

A Palestinian flag was suspended from the boughs of a tree by two students who had scaled it. More people were mingling around.

1:103 p.m. M. Anger among Republicans grows at UW-Madison.

Some Republicans expressed their annoyance and frustration as the protest at UW-Madison entered its fourth hour and urged university administrators to act.

The Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine and the Young Democratic Socialists of America were among the organizations taking part in the demonstration, according to the university’s College Republicans chapter, which claimed the groups were inciting animosity on campus. A violation of UW-Madison’s policy prohibiting camping on campus was also mentioned in the chapter.

The encampment, according to GOP Badgers Chairman Thomas Pyle, was “heinous, unproductive, and antisemitic.”. “.

U. s. Many Jews find the phrase “from the river to the sea,” which the protesters were chanting, offensive, according to Representative Derrick Van Orden, who called it “disgraceful behavior.”. “.

State Rep. “I pray you will get this handled NOW so our students can finish their finals and the term in peace and safety,” Oregon senator Barbara Dittrich, a Republican, tweeted in response to Jennifer Mnookin, the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

12:44 after dark. M. Professor from Marquette tells the audience that being against war is not antisemitic.

Professor of English at Marquette University and member of Jewish Voice for Peace Jodi Melamed assured the assembled assembly that opposing the Israel-Hamas conflict was not antisemitic.

“Genocide is not antisemitic in the slightest,” she declared. A free Palestine is not antisemitic in the slightest. “.

Additionally, she led the class in chanting, “Zionism is racism.”. Palestine is a land of freedom. “.

Melamed was among several people addressing the assembly.

Local lawyer and Palestinian-American Munjed Ahmad assured the assembled that he would provide free legal representation to anyone facing legal ramifications at the encampment. “They are free to use any kind of threat against our community. He said, “We don’t give a damn.

12.32 p.m. M. Democratic state legislator requests that Mone drop the charges.

State Rep. In the lawn outside Mitchell Hall, surrounded by more than twenty tents and canopies, Ryan Clancy spoke to the gathering.

He demanded that the five students who were issued tickets following a sit-in outside of Chancellor Mark Mone’s office—known as the “Milwaukee 5″—have their charges against them dropped.

Students need to be able to voice their opinions without worrying about consequences, he said.

Participants in the encampment were given sheets of paper with QR codes by the organizers. In the event that they were arrested and required assistance with bail, the link in the code directed them to a Google form where they could enter their personal information.

The demands, which included revealing and cutting financial ties to Israel and issuing a statement “condemning the apartheid state,” which refers to Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, were stated by the student organizers, who threatened to stay until they were met by campus administrators.

Marquette University students who wish to participate in protest are directed to UW-Milwaukee.

On the Marquette University campus, there don’t seem to be any significant gatherings or protests going on. At the UW-Milwaukee demonstration, however, are a few Marquette students.

Students for Justice in Palestine, a Marquette student organization, reshared an Instagram post from the UWM student organizations that was organizing the protest this morning.

SJP Marquette commented on the story, saying, “Today! Come support @sjpmilwaukee and @sds_uwm.”. Other stories that @sjpmarquette posted featured students erecting tents and marching.

11:36 am. M. Protesters from UW-Milwaukee pitch tents and surround themselves with people.

A group of individuals quickly set up tents on the lawn outside Mitchell Hall after snatching them from parked cars during a march around the UWM campus.

At least twelve tents were set up, and more were coming in. On the grass, a group of demonstrators are assembled.

The organizers of the protest are requesting that people surround the tents with human barriers.

11:16 a. me. Marching begins as the UW-Milwaukee crowd grows.

At least 250 people started to gather and march in the vicinity of UW-Milwaukee, holding signs and flags.

Students and people of all ages from the Arab and Palestinian communities were present.

People were urged by an organizer not to talk to police. Marchers should, according to him, be “in the business of de-escalation.”. “.

Not immediately apparent was the march’s direction.

11:14 am. me. Protesters at UW-Milwaukee will receive free food from the owners of Chubby’s Cheesesteaks.

Around lunchtime, the proprietors of Senƒor Gordito’s and Chubby’s Cheesesteaks intend to feed 500 protesters from UW-Milwaukee for free.

The brothers Mazin and Murad Hamdan, the owners, are first-generation Palestinian-Americans. Their mother is from Gaza, and their father is from the West Bank.

“We felt it would be appropriate to support our family, heritage, and culture while also expressing our gratitude to the demonstrators for their support of Palestine, our beliefs, and opposition to genocide,” Mazin Hamdan stated. “It is imperative that we participate in this, particularly when it directly impacts us.”. “.

Despite having little communication with family in Gaza, Hamdan said they have heard from them that they are now living in tents after losing their houses and businesses.

According to Mazin Hamdan, “We’re very proud that people are actually starting to see what is really going on.”.

SenŃor Gordito’s tacos and Chubby’s Cheesesteaks halal hot dogs are being prepared. They intend to show up on campus around 4 p.m. m. additionally to 6 p. M.

The Hamdan brothers, honoring their Palestinian ancestry, also intend to launch Pali Park, a food truck park, this summer with their cousin Ramzey Huneidi.

10:50 in the morning. M. At the Golda Meir Library at UW-Milwaukee, protestors assemble.

Monday mid-morning saw more than 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators assemble outside the Golda Meir Library at UW-Milwaukee.

Chants such as “Free, free Palestine” and “End the U.S. s. War Machine,” to name a few. They held placards that read, “Divest from genocide” and “Blood on your hands.”. “.

The group intended to march, according to student organizer and journalism and marketing major Samia Saeed.

10:46 early. m. The ACLU highlights the freedom of speech rights of students.

As protests at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee got underway on Monday morning, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Wisconsin highlighted the rights of students under the first amendment in a statement.

Dr. Melinda Q., executive director. According to Brennan, police have used “overwhelming force” to suppress recent protests at universities across the nation, arresting students and intimidating them. Saturday saw more arrests of demonstrators as pro-Palestinian demonstrations persisted on U.S. S. campus life, as reported by USA Today.

According to Brennan’s statement, “university administrators are left with a choice – one that will determine which side of history they will be on as anti-war protests spread to campuses in Wisconsin.”.

“They can adhere to the Wisconsin Idea, which is the cornerstone of our public university system and maintains that universities should be places of self-discovery and that students should be given the tools to analyze, comprehend, and engage with the world around them,” Brennan said.

Or, regrettably, they may choose to go down the same route as other colleges that gave in to political pressure, betraying and disciplining their staff, professors, and students for peacefully exercising their right to dissent. “.

9.48 a.m. me. Despite the university of Wisconsin-Madison’s “no camping” policy, tents have been set up.

On the UW-Madison campus’s Library Mall, demonstrators erected at least nine tents. Just before the tents appeared, a protest organizer instructed participants not to interact with police or talk to media. Approximately 200 protesters circled around the tents, arms linked in solidarity, clapping and yelling, “Disclose! divest! We will not stop! We will not rest!”. On Friday, officials at the University of Wisconsin–Madison announced that camping is not permitted on campus.

9:37 in the morning. m. Protesters are nonviolent at UW-Madison.

MADISON — On Monday morning, about 200 demonstrators peacefully started opposing the Israel-Hamas conflict on the campus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

It stood in stark contrast to the events of the past week at dozens of other schools, where encampments resulted in hundreds of arrests and altercations with campus police. It started to rain a little right before the 9 a.m. protest. me.

“From the river to the sea,” which some Jews believe demands for the abolition of Israel, was chanted by protestors. Be free Palestine and Divert from genocide were written on signs. “.

More than 34,000 Palestinians have died in the war, and protesters have generally called for its end.

Additionally, students have insisted that their institutions divest from companies doing business in Israel.

According to university spokesperson John Lucas, UW-Madison does not control its investments or endowment and is against academic boycotts, including Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel.

A spokesman for the UW Foundation, Tod Pritchard, stated that the organization, which has a $3.8 billion endowment, does not accept instructions from outside parties regarding the use of donor funds.

Why are students protesting?

As the semester draws to an end and commencement draws near, the rallies take place. Due to misunderstandings, anxiety, and isolation, many Jewish and Palestinian students have been on edge during the past school year.

The organizing groups, which include UW-Milwaukee’s Students for Democratic Society and chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine, have pushed for their schools to sever their connections with Israel.

The groups did not clarify if encampments were part of their plans for the rally. While organizers of UW-Madison did not respond to a request for comment, one from UW-Milwaukee stated that the rally would run for two hours.

Are you going to arrest students?

A Friday email to the 50,000-student campus from the UW-Madison dean of students and interim police chief warned that violating the university’s protest policies and guidelines “can and will have consequences, both within our code of student conduct and more broadly under Wisconsin law.”. “.

Camping on university property is prohibited by state regulations.

Earlier this semester, five UWM students were taken into custody after what university officials claimed was an unapproved sit-in outside the chancellor’s office.

“No one has ever been arrested for protesting at the location of previous demonstrations,” according to university spokesperson Angelica Duria, “in the incredibly rare instances when UWM Police have made arrests at that site.”. Instead, for breaking the laws that all of us are required to follow, they were taken into custody and later issued citations. “.

Further: As pro-Palestinian demonstrations take over the U. S. universities in Wisconsin are listed below, along with their campuses.

What is the purpose of UW-Milwaukee pro-Palestinian student protests?

The demands of the students consist of:.

Golda Meir Library’s rename. One of the most prominent alumni of UWM, Meir was Israeli prime minister from 1969 to 1974. He was born and raised in Milwaukee. Building names on campus are the purview of the UWM Board of Regents.

completing study abroad visits to Israel. According to UWM, it has no authority over Hillel, an international organization that allows nearby Jewish college students to join and travel to Israel under birthright, and it also has no study abroad programs in Israel.

selling off weapons made by companies engaged in the conflict. According to UWM, the foundation invests in mutual funds to support the university; however, it is not allowed to take money away from specific companies within the funds.

In February, about twenty-two student demonstrators sat in outside UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone’s office for six hours. Five students were placed under arrest by the police for assembly blocking, obstructing, unauthorized occupation, using prohibited signs, and making noise that was not allowed.

In response to the citations, which only result in fines and no jail time, the students entered a not guilty plea.