Last Updated: April 30, 12:12 a.m.

Following many pro-Palestinian protests across the country, University of Utah students followed suit, setting up an encampment on Monday evening. There was no formal announcement that their emergency rally would become an encampment. Around 11:oo p.m., law enforcement began tearing down tents, arresting demonstrators and pushing the group away from President’s Circle. 

“Dear Universities: You can’t suspend the movement,” read Mecha’s post for the rally.

On April 18, over 100 protestors at Columbia University were arrested for their participation in a protest encampment on university grounds, sparking a wave of student-led pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the United States and worldwide. 

“We stand in solidarity with students everywhere that are facing police and state repression and yet continuing the struggle,” Gabriela Merida, an organizer with Mecha, said in a video promoting the rally.

Mecha organized to “demand that the University of Utah disclose, divest and cut all ties with Israel and war profiteering companies,” Merida said in the video. The demands echo those of students nationwide calling on their universities to divest from companies with ties to Israel.

Mecha has specifically criticized the U’s affiliation with 47G, an organization that brings together “industry, academic, and government leadership to advance the interest of aerospace, defense, and cyber companies,” as is stated in the organization’s FAQs.

The University of Utah currently pays $50,000 in annual membership fees for a place on 47G’s board and will co-sponsor a summit with the organization this fall, in which they will be investing $100,000.

In an interview with The Daily Utah Chronicle, Merida said students are here today to demand the U divest and cut all ties with Israel. 

“They are capable of meeting the demands yesterday,” she said. “They can do this. They act like they can’t. They just want the money.”

The protest comes at the end of finals week and near graduation. Merida said they won’t stop until they see a free Palestine. 

“We are going to continue to escalate until Palestine is free,” she said. “So not just until the university divests, but we’re going to continue to organize until we see a free Palestine.” 

Gallery • 5 Photos

Marco Lozzi

A pro-Palestine demonstrator holds up a sign in front of the John R. Park Building at the University of Utah during the Emergency Rally For Palestine on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Photo by Marco Lozzi | The Daily Utah Chronicle)

Elizabeth Clement is a professor of history at the U. She said she was at the protest to show support for students.

“It’s my understanding that as a public university, we follow the First Amendment which means free speech, even if that speech is hate speech,” Clement said. “And I just want it to be clear what people can do in protests. And I think peaceful protests are fine and I think the university should allow peaceful protest.”

“We hope today’s protest will be peaceful,” said Captain Jason Hinojosa of the University of Utah police before the protest.

“As University Public Safety, we’re here to preserve the peace and safety of the campus, but also to protect people’s right to free expression,” Hinojosa said. “As heated as the rhetoric has been about the war between Israel and Hamas, we are here, first and foremost, to preserve public safety, and then to make sure people are able to express their opinions.” 

The University Department of Public Safety released a statement late Monday telling protesters to take down their tents immediately, or they will be removed by law enforcement. 

“Students, faculty, staff and community members, you have the right to express your viewpoint and we have heard you,” the DPS statement reads. “You do not, however, have the right to set up structures or camp overnight. You are violating Utah state law and University of Utah free speech policy.”

Utah Administrative Code 805-3-3 does not allow camping on the U’s campus without prior approval from the University Scheduling Office.

The statement also includes consequences for students, faculty, staff and community members. 

It says that students would face “University discipline ranging from probation to suspension, and criminal trespass and disorderly conduct charges.” 

Faculty and staff would face “University discipline including up to termination, and criminal trespass and disorderly conduct charges.” 

Community members would face criminal trespass and disorderly conduct charges.

Around 10:00 p.m., police issued protestors a 10-minute warning but protestors continued to stand their ground, chanting, “Students, students stand your ground, UPD back down.”

Police warned organizers that they would use “reasonable force” if necessary. Soon after, police started gathering outside the Park Building in riot gear, complete with helmets and shields.

Around 10:50 p.m., police started surrounding the group of protesters. Just minutes later, a squad of police approached and surrounded the group.

“Why are you in riot gear? There is no violence here!” protestors shouted.

At 11:00 p.m., officers closed in on the protestors. There was shouting, and one person was grabbed and put into custody by 11:01 p.m.

Five minutes later, cops began taking down tents and dragging some of the protestors towards the Park building. They also threw supplies out of the way.

A handful of protestors were arrested and escorted away, with police using zip ties as handcuffs.

Video from Hagy on @UUtah campus where demonstrators are being arrested and tents torn down. pic.twitter.com/Sy9xsiobqB

— Vanessa Hudson (@vanessamwrites) April 30, 2024

At 11:14 p.m., chants from protestors started again and the police issued another warning.

“If you disperse immediately you will not be arrested,” an officer said. “If you do not comply you will be arrested, reasonable force may be used.”

As drones hovered above, police formed a barricade, blocking protestors from going back to their encampment.

“Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest,” protesters continued to chant.

At 11:21 p.m., most of the tents had been taken down. Soon after, enforcement outnumbered demonstrators, with signs, trash, water bottles, pizza boxes and blankets left where the previous encampment was.

At 11:45 p.m., the university updated their statement to protestors to announce 17 protestors had been arrested and a hatchet was confiscated. Reportedly, no protestors were injured and one officer was injured.

Rubber bullets were allegedly used against the remaining protestors. At around midnight, demonstrators were pushed off campus.

Since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 7, over 34,000 Gazans have been killed. On Sunday night, Israel carried out a series of airstrikes on Rafah, a southern city in Gaza. The strikes left at least 22 people dead, according to the Associated Press. 

Israel has reportedly been working with mediators from Egypt and Qatar to develop a hostage release deal. The proposed deal includes a 40-day truce in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages, though it is unclear whether Hamas will accept the proposal. 

April 29, 5:30 p.m. • This is a breaking story and will be updated as the story progresses.

Emerson Hagy contributed to this story. 

[email protected]

@vanessamwrites

[email protected]

@JosiHinds