Pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have agreed to take down their encampment after reaching an agreement with university officials. The encampment had stood for two weeks on campus grounds, but under the agreement, it will be removed by Tuesday. This decision was made after school officials chose not to call in police to break down the encampment, in contrast to the approach taken at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
At Wisconsin-Madison, police were called in to dismantle a similar encampment in early May after negotiations failed. However, protesters at that campus eventually reached an agreement to voluntarily remove the camp before commencement ceremonies. Chancellor Mark Mone of Wisconsin-Milwaukee stated that the university had shown significant patience and restraint in dealing with the protesters, but also warned that action may be taken if necessary.
The agreement with the UWM Popular University for Palestine Coalition includes the university joining calls for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, denouncing the destruction of schools and universities in Gaza by Israeli forces, and meeting with protest leaders to address concerns about university investments. Additionally, the university will encourage the Water Council to sever ties with two Israeli government-owned entities, of which Mr. Mone is the treasurer of the board of directors.
In return for these pledges, the protesters agreed to dismantle the encampment from Sunday to Tuesday and not disrupt the university’s commencement ceremonies. They acknowledged the benefits they had obtained from the encampment and indicated that after careful consideration, they had decided to take down the protest site. The removal of the encampment marks the end of a period of protest on campus, with both parties reaching a peaceful resolution to the situation.
