The encampment protesting in solidarity with Palestine at the University of Pennsylvania has reached its 15th day, leading to heightened security measures in preparation for the school’s commencement.
As a response, UPenn has taken action against six students who participated in the protest, requiring them to take a temporary leave of absence.
The university has announced that these measures are being implemented while disciplinary investigations are being conducted by the Centre for Community Standards and Accountability. The decision is being made in response to the ongoing efforts to resolve the issue of the unauthorised encampment on College Green.
During discussions with NBC10, a spokesperson for the encampment described the disciplinary action as “suspensions.” The Philly Palestine Coalition, one of the groups involved in the encampment, released a statement expressing their concern regarding the students’ exclusion from campus.
It was emphasised that two of the impacted students are members of the negotiating committee and have been actively involved in conversations with university officials.
According to the statement, there is a student who is currently unable to access their dorm room, which is causing them to be locked out of their personal belongings. The organisation strongly disagreed with the depiction of students affiliated with the Gaza Solidarity Encampment as potential risks to campus safety.
In response to the required leaves of absence, three students who were affected spoke to reporters, expressing their strong determination in their cause. Junior Sonya Stacia stressed the importance of the university addressing their demands promptly and called for immediate action.
Meanwhile, Governor Josh Shapiro expressed his thoughts on the situation during an event in Westmoreland County, emphasising the importance of the university taking swift action to resolve the issue and bring back stability to the campus.
The protest at UPenn reflects the ongoing demonstrations at colleges across the country, all urging for a halt in the Gaza-Israel conflict. In addition, protesters are calling for their respective universities to withdraw financial support from Israel, in an effort to put pressure on companies involved in activities seen as harmful to Palestinian interests.
In their unwavering commitment to peaceful protest, the demonstrators maintain their stance, vowing not to disband until the university addresses their demands.