UR removes pro-Palestinian encampments ahead of commencement; Two people arrested

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The University of Rochester has removed the pro-Palestinian encampments at the Eastman Quad on Tuesday morning ahead of commencement.

In a statement, the university said it would “closely monitor all campus spaces and activities” leading up to commencement weekend, which will take place on Friday through Sunday. UR also says two people not affiliated with the university were arrested on Tuesday, accused of damaging a large commencement tent.

Similar to dozens of other college campuses across the country, UR students set up encampments because of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war. The UR encampments have been there for weeks.

The students are calling for the university to cut all ties with Israel including for study abroad or scholarship programs. They’re also demanding that the university releases a statement calling for a cease-fire in the war and to bring back student who were banned from campus for protesting.

According UR, campus public safety and facilities workers told the students on Tuesday that they needed to remove their tents, barriers, and other items from the Eastman Quad. After that, almost all students dispersed. The UR says that, although the encampment has “largely ended” students did “mobilize as a small group to a different part of River Campus.”

Wilson Boulevard will be closed to vehicle traffic until further notice. The university says it will continue “preparing for all emergency scenarios, including future disruptions” ahead of commencement.

UR students have also held multiple demonstrations this semester to advocate for their demands. Students held a sit-in at Wallis Hall on Wednesday, May 1 and again two days later. In a protest called “Rallying for Rafah”, students said that academically divesting from Israel would signal strong opposition to the ongoing conflict that has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians.

The university announced last Thursday that it has suspended students who “repeatedly violated policies” during protests. In the statement on Tuesday, the UR says:

“University officials have tried extremely hard to maintain open lines of communication with student protest leaders and have provided leeway to find middle ground on freedom of expression. However, given the aggregation of numerous policy violations of time, place and manner for protests, the decision was made to end the encampment and begin the process of restoring campus life.”

University of Rochester President Sarah C. Mangelsdorf issued the following statement Tuesday to members of the university community:

Earlier this morning, members of the University’s Departments of Public Safety and Facilities informed occupants of the encampment on the Eastman Quadrangle — a mixture of students and community members—that they needed to leave because the encampment was being removed. Following this, those in the encampment chose to soon disperse from the area. We appreciate their willingness to do so peacefully and to refrain from interfering with the removal process. However, two people not affiliated with our University were arrested this morning for damaging one of our large Commencement tents.

I hope to have more to report about our steps going forward in the coming days, but for now, I hope that the restoration of the quadrangle will mark a return to regular campus life for students, faculty, and staff. I also want to reiterate that the dismantling of the encampment does not mean that my senior leadership team and I are no longer willing to engage with all students about having respectful and proactive conversations about the University’s role in times of conflict. Nor does it mean that our firm resolve and vigilance in protecting students from discrimination and harassment will wane.

The violence in the Middle East has been heartbreaking for people all over the world. Members of our University community have lost loved ones in the war in Gaza, in the events of October 7, and other members of our community are still awaiting word about loved ones who are being held hostage by Hamas. As a community devoted to advancing knowledge and moving the world forward, we should be able to engage one another in honest and productive dialogue about the conflict and what it means for our community. We have been open to such dialogue since October 7, providing students with plenty of space and opportunity to express their views about the war. We have also, on many occasions, reaffirmed the students’ freedom to criticize the University and our policies.

We have, however, also been clear that conduct that violates legally stipulated restrictions on the time, place, and manner of protests would not be tolerated. Taking over the University’s common green spaces for three weeks and building a fortified encampment that included structures constructed with lumber and concrete blocks, along with homemade shields and other materials that represented safety concerns and unsanitary conditions, crossed the line from peaceful expression into actionable violations of University policies and, we believe, municipal law. For many reasons, we could not allow such conduct to continue, regardless of the stated premise of those who took such actions.

I want to thank the staff members from Student Life, Facilities, Public Safety, and other University teams for their professionalism in working to remove the encampment. They have demonstrated our University values in their patient and civil approach in working to de-escalate tensions on campus. I also appreciate everyone’s patience today, particularly those whose routine commutes to campus were disrupted or who had to change their plans. We hope to have the Eastman Quadrangle soon restored to a common green space usable by all members of the University community.

As I noted in a message to the community last week, we will evaluate the steps that we have taken — and not taken—over the past year regarding many of our policies and approaches. We will learn from our experiences as we work to become a better community.

As we turn toward our Commencement Weekend, we will closely monitor all campus spaces and activities. I look forward to joining members of the University community to celebrate the achievements of all our graduates.

UR campus after the encampments have been cleared on Tuesday, May 14 (Photo: WHEC):

UR encampments before they were cleared (Photo: WHEC):