Law enforcement officers stormed a pro-Palestine encampment on the University of Arizona campus around 2:00 a.m. on May 1, 2024.
Around 2:00 a.m. law enforcement officers in gas masks and riot gear stormed a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Arizona campus.
The move came hours after a 10:30 p.m. deadline for protesters to leave the area on the western edge of the campus. As officers from UAPD, the Pima County Sherriff’s Office, and the Department of Public Safety moved in they also clashed with hundreds of protestors who had surrounded the area.
Law enforcement acted following a statement issued by University of Arizona President Robert Robbins that directed them "to immediately enforce campus use policies and all corresponding laws without further warning."
Police and protestors clash at 2:00 a.m. on Park Avenue on the edge of the University of Arizona campus as officers worked to break up a pro-Palestine encampment on campus. May 1, 2024
At least four arrests were made by law enforcement officials.
Before midnight, the University began issuing alerts to the community via text and email that police action was imminent. As the night wore on and the standoff continued more alerts were issued.
Shortly after police stormed the area and appeared to begin making arrests an alert was issued warning “Police deploying chemical irritant munitions” and told people to obey police orders, disperse, and avoid the area.
Police used bullhorns to make similar announcements to the encampment and the growing crowd of protestors and spectators along Park Avenue.
Officers with the Arizona Department of Public Safety participated in breaking up a pro-Palestine encampment and protest durning the early morning hours of May 1, 2024 on the University of Arizona campus.
Earlier in the evening, officials from the university met with representatives of the encampment to try to negotiate an end to the protest.
The encampment was the second in as many days to spring up on the UA campus. On Monday, an encampment began on the UA Mall, but protestors decided to leave before being arrested on Monday night.
After the encampment and protest were broken up in the early morning hours of Wednesday, participants said they would be back to do it again.
Christopher Conover contributed to this report.
By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.