Nearly 70 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested outside the Art Institute of Chicago on Saturday, as anti-Israel protests continue to grow in major cities across the country.
The arrests were made after a group began pitching tents in the museum’s small north garden area. Those who were arrested were Paid on a charge of criminal trespass to property, according to Chicago’s WLS-TV.
Chicago police said those responsible for trying to set up the encampment included art school students, along with members of Columbia University Chicago. CPD arrived shortly after 4:30 p.m. and tore down the tent.
Museum administrators said authorities tried to work with the student protesters to pitch tents in areas other than the north garden, but non-student protest leaders refused to discuss the matter. Officials have offered disciplinary action against the protesters, even saying they would not have faced any disciplinary action if they had worked with school administrators to hold the protest at a more appropriate location. Ta.
However, these activists reportedly became violent and rejected the advances of school officials. Authorities eventually lifted sanctions against the protests after “protesters surrounded and pushed security guards, stole museum keys, blocked emergency exits, and barricaded gates.”
Chicago police also tried to talk to the demonstrators, but after two hours of unsuccessful negotiations and three warnings, they gave up and moved in to remove the demonstrators. did.
The museum said it respects the group’s right to protest, but support was discontinued after the group became threatening and violent.
The school released the following statement:
The Art Institute of Chicago respects the right of groups to peacefully protest without harm to our staff or visitors. Today, a group of individuals, including several SAIC students, began a protest in the museum’s north courtyard, but as the protest progressed, protesters surrounded and shoved security guards, stole museum keys, blocked emergency exits, and gates. barricades were erected. Protests also began to escalate on Michigan Avenue outside the museum. Because our priority is the safety of our employees, visitors, and collections, protesters were provided an alternative location to continue their protest on campus, which is safer for everyone involved. However, they did not accept the relocation offer. Through multiple rounds of negotiations, SAIC student protesters were promised academic sanctions and amnesty from trespass charges if they agreed to relocate. The school also agreed to meet with the student body to discuss their demands. After about five hours, no agreement was reached. Chicago police ended the protest in the safest way possible and estimate that approximately 50 people were arrested.
Museums already have a problem with anti-Semitism.
The school was charged in January with “pervasive and serious anti-Semitic harassment and discrimination” under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Jewish students who filed the lawsuit allege that Chun-Shan (Sandy) Yee, an assistant professor at the Graduate School of the Art Institute of Chicago, assigned them a project that characterized Israeli soldiers as rapists and sexual abusers of Muslim children in the Gaza Strip. insisted.
The College of Art is not the only school in Chicago suffering from “camps” and protests by pro-Palestinian activists.
Last week, pro-Palestinian protesters set up encampment at the University of Chicago and announced an extensive list of demands, including calls for reparations and defunding campus police.
The camp was visited by Obama’s far-left Education Secretary Arne Duncan and 25th Ward Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez.
Aldo. @sigcho25 & Arne Duncan also supports here @Chicago encampment. pic.twitter.com/0o34TMjhXJ
— Chicago Progressive Staffers (@312Staffers) May 4, 2024
Sigcho López sparked controversy when he appeared at a protest in March. busy While standing behind a burned American flag.he later claimed He didn’t know there was a burnt flag there.
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