Students at Chicago's college Gaza encampments hope police, threats stay away

Pro-Palestinian encampments on the campuses of Chicago universities haven’t faced the same levels of violence and police response as others across the country — and students fearing escalation are hoping it stays that way.

Tensions were higher Tuesday after Columbia University ordered its campus to lock down and directed hundreds of New York police officers to raid a university building that student protesters had occupied. NYPD also showed a large late-night presence at the City College of New York. Officials said about 300 people were arrested between the two campuses.

And overnight, reports emerged of pro-Israel counter-protesters attacking a UCLA student encampment for hours, at times shooting fireworks into the camp and setting off confrontations between the groups. UCLA canceled classes Wednesday.

The camps in Chicago have not been targeted by heavy counter-protests or been subject to large police activity.

The protests at Northwestern University have de-escalated after an agreement between student organizers and the university administration to take down all but one aid tent while allowing demonstrations to continue until June 1, the last day of classes. The university initially sent in police to break up the encampment, and officers were seen pushing through lines of faculty and students to take down tents. But no arrests, citations or suspensions were made.

At the University of Chicago, Rayna A., a senior who helped organize the encampment there, said UChicago police has always maintained a heavy presence on campus so students know they have to protect themselves.

“As organizers, we have learned the skills that are necessary in order to keep our community safe from the police, and that we'll have numbers in people and we have a strong community support,” said Rayna, who asked for her last name not to be published out of fear of harassment.

“We’re very interconnected with orgs across the city,” she said. “People are already out here from orgs, and we're hoping to just grow and expand and create … a space that is as safe as it can be. Because safety is never guaranteed.”

Sammy, an undergraduate UChicago student who also helped organize the protest, said there haven’t been threats against their camp, but “it’s hard not to feel this larger looming presence, this sort of constant background threat.

“Especially when things are happening like what happened yesterday at Columbia, which was horrific, and UCLA,” said Sammy, who also didn't want to be fully identified for fear of harassment.

Organizers developed a safety plan, including deploying marshals who have de-escalation training and barriers to shield praying students from photos. Officers have been at the encampment all three days but haven’t interfered, students said.

“We are all here with the knowledge that whatever repression we face, it is absolutely nothing compared to what Palestinians have faced for the past 75 years and counting,” Sammy said. “Especially Palestinians at universities. Every single university in Gaza has been leveled at this point.”

Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said this week that he was not interested in breaking up the encampments.

“We’re out there to make sure that people who want to protest can do it and exercise their First Amendment,” Snelling said at a public meeting on the Northwest Side, according to Fox 32.

“If you notice with our universities here, people are protesting peacefully. … We’re not engaging them in a way that’s going to inflame what it is they’re trying to do,” he said.

DePaul student Shoshana Rubin, 21, said she was worried and hesitant to stay overnight at the encampment after seeing reports of police at other campuses but has felt safe for the most part.

“Administration has mostly been OK with us staying out here, and I do worry that their position on that will change, but so far it’s been pretty peaceful,” Rubin said. “We’re learning a lot by being here. It’s been fun, and we feel like a community.”

Another DePaul student, 21-year-old Macey Caron, said her “biggest worry is police or counter-protesters showing up.

“But everything has been pretty calm,” Caron said. “And I hope it stays that way."