UNC Charlotte tears down pro-Palestine tent encampment early Tuesday, detains one person
UNC Charlotte dismantled a pro-Palestine encampment on campus Tuesday morning.
Protesters set up the encampment outside Cato Hall around noon on May 1, according to Niner Times, the school’s student newspaper. That’s on the east side of campus near University City Boulevard. Campus police told protesters around 6:20 a.m. Tuesday they needed to disperse and dismantle tents or face disciplinary action.
Fourteen protesters were at the site when it was dismantled, UNC Charlotte told The Observer. One of them was detained.
“What began as peaceful protesting has transitioned over the past several days to intentionally and repeatedly violating University policy,” UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon Gaber wrote in a statement to university students and staff. “Violations were highlighted verbally and in writing, and exhaustive efforts were made to encourage protesters to exercise their right to free speech in a manner that respects the rights of those not protesting to do their work and pursue their education.”
Gaber cited University Policy 601.6, Scheduling University Facilities and University Policy 601.9, Sales, Solicitations, Distribution of Materials and Campus Displays.
The university also announced a UNC Charlotte identification card will be required to access all buildings on campus beginning at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday.
“This precautionary measure is in place to ensure exams can continue uninterrupted should protests occur later today,” the school said in a notice Tuesday morning. “UNC Charlotte respects and values free expression. However, expression must be conducted within a reasonable time, place and manner as established in law and University policy. The 49th Acre has been designated as the location for all protest activities today to minimize disruptions to exams and campus operations.”
Protesters first set up an encampment April 22 in a quad across from the school’s student union before being asked to remove their tents. They obliged and continued to gather each day in the same spot through April 26.
Pro-Palestine encampment got two verbal warnings
Organizers of the protest said they were not given adequate time to disperse.
“They gave two verbal warnings with very little time in between before they started the raid,” organizers said via an Instagram post Tuesday. “Many students and community members did not have enough time to gather their things before they were forced to leave or face the threat of arrest.”
According to the Instagram post, the one person detained was a student. However, a UNC Charlotte spokesperson said he hasn’t been confirmed to be a student because he declined to give his name.
Organizers planned a march on Tuesday evening at 5 p.m., but the university gave them a letter Monday saying the march would not be permitted, due to “potential disruptions of final exams and safety concerns.”
