Pro-Palestine protest at University of Pittsburgh; 1 arrested for aggravated assault

The protesters barricaded themselves in an encampment

The protesters barricaded themselves in an encampment

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PROTESTS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE CAMPUS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. THEY’VE BEEN THERE SINCE ABOUT 6:00 LAST NIGHT. AT TIMES, THEY GOT VIOLENT, AND WE KNOW AT LEAST ONE PERSON WAS ARRESTED. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER LILY COLEMAN IS JOINING US LIVE WITH THE DEVELOPMENTS THIS MORNING. LILY, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING TO YOU BOTH. AFTER A LITTLE LULL OVERNIGHT, THINGS SEEM TO BE PICKING BACK UP HERE IN OAKLAND THIS MORNING. WE CAN HEAR SOME PROTESTERS CHANTING WHAT APPEARS TO BE PEACEFUL PROTESTS. THE ACTIVITY INSIDE OF THE ENCAMPMENT IS PICKING UP THIS MORNING AS IS THE ACTIVITY OF PROTESTERS WHO ARE STUCK OUTSIDE OF THE ENCAMPMENT AS WELL. POLICE STILL HERE AS WELL. LET’S BRING YOU UP TO SPEED AS TO HOW WE GOT TO THIS ONGOING SITUATION. NOW. THIS ALL STARTED AROUND SIX LAST NIGHT ON THE LAWN OUTSIDE OF THE CATHEDRAL OF LEARNING ON PITT’S CAMPUS. THE LARGE GROUP OF PROTESTERS QUICKLY PUTTING UP WOODEN BARRICADES, FENCING AND TENTS, WHICH THEN LED POLICE TO PUT UP BARRICADES AROUND THAT ENCAMPMENT IN THE HOPES OF PREVENTING ADDITIONAL PEOPLE FROM JOINING. NOW, AT TIMES, THINGS ARE GROWING VERY, VERY TENSE, ESPECIALLY AS PROTESTERS ATTEMPTED TO GET WATER AND OTHER FOOD ITEMS INSIDE OF THEIR ENCAMPMENTS. NOW WE KNOW ONE PERSON WAS ARRESTED. THAT PERSON TRYING TO GET WATER INTO THE ENCAMPMENT, 33 YEAR OLD DONALD JOHNSON. HE’S CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, RESISTING ARREST AND OBSTRUCTION. NOW, ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY, JOHNSON IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY. ORGANIZERS OF THE PROTEST PROVIDED THE UNIVERSITY WITH A LIST OF NINE DEMANDS, INCLUDING DISCLOSING UNIVERSITY INVESTMENTS, SUPPORTING PALESTINIAN ACADEMICS AND THE PROTECTION OF FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. NOW, PROTESTERS TELL US THEY STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE AND THEY ARE CALLING ON THE UNIVERSITY TO SEVER ANY TIES WITH ISRAEL OR COMPANIES PROMOTING THE ISRAEL HAMAS WAR. IT’S DEEPLY PAINFUL ON AN EXISTENTIAL AND A MORAL AND, UH, JUST A HUMAN LEVEL. AND THAT’S, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT BEGINS TO SCRATCH THE SURFACE AS TO WHY, UM, UH, THE STUDENTS ARE HERE TONIGHT, WHY THEY WERE HERE MONTHS AGO. NOW, AS THINGS PICK BACK HERE, UP HERE THIS MORNING, IT HAS REMAINED PEACEFUL. WE’VE NOT SEEN ANYTHING ESCALATE JUST YET. AGAIN, WE CAN TELL YOU THAT POLICE REMAIN HERE. THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH POLICE TELLING US THEY’RE WORKING WITH OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH COUNTY POLICE AND STATE POLICE. WE WILL BE HERE WORKING TO GET YOU MORE DETAILS. AND JUST AS SOON AS WE HAVE ANY UPDATES, WE’LL LET YOU KNOW BOTH ON AIR AND ONLINE@WTAE.COM. FOR NOW. REPORTING LIVE FRO

Updated: 10:44 AM EDT Jun 3, 2024

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Pro-Palestine protest at University of Pittsburgh; 1 arrested for aggravated assault

The protesters barricaded themselves in an encampment

Updated: 10:44 AM EDT Jun 3, 2024

Editorial Standards ⓘ

A large group of protesters convened on the University of Pittsburgh's campus Sunday night. Students and community members re-established their encampment, calling once again on the university to take action. The protesters were at the university back in May. Sunday's scene was larger and more measures were taken. University of Pittsburgh police took one person into custody. On Monday morning, Pittsburgh's Action News 4 confirmed that suspect is Donald Johnson, 33, of Pittsburgh.Pitt said the person arrested is not affiliated with the university. Johnson has been charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and obstruction. Protesters did not have a permit to gather and were told by police they were not allowed to bring food or cases of water into the encampment. That's when the peaceful protest took a turn. Protesters were running past police, bringing water bottles in one by one. Police then having to intervene, and at times, get physical. One of those protesters told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that Sunday did not mark any specific occasion for gathering, they just felt the time was right. "This is deeply painful on an existential and a moral and just a human level, and I think that begins to scratch the surface. That’s why the students are here tonight, that’s why we were here a month ago," said one Palestinian student. In a statement, the organization behind the protest says they are calling on the university for nine specific demands: Disclose all university investments Divest university finances, including the endowment, from companies and institutions that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and occupation in Palestine. Terminate all research partnerships with complicit companies Reject the normalization of ties with the Zionist regimeSupport Palestinians and Palestinian academics Remove the IHRA definition of antisemitism from the DEI website Issue a formal apology from Chancellor Gabel, as well as an acknowledgment, of her failing in her duties to protect Pitt community members and assure their rights Call on the DA to drop the charges against students arrested for peacefully protesting Assure the protection of First Amendment rights The group is also calling for the removal of all armed officers on campus.Monday morning protestors remain inside of the encampment, which is now surrounded by police. Additional supporters gathered throughout the morning to show their support as well. University police are working with city of Pittsburgh police officers to monitor the situation, according to a university's spokesperson.

A large group of protesters convened on the University of Pittsburgh's campus Sunday night.

Students and community members re-established their encampment, calling once again on the university to take action. The protesters were at the university back in May. Sunday's scene was larger and more measures were taken.

University of Pittsburgh police took one person into custody.

On Monday morning, Pittsburgh's Action News 4 confirmed that suspect is Donald Johnson, 33, of Pittsburgh.

Pitt said the person arrested is not affiliated with the university.

Johnson has been charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and obstruction.

Protesters did not have a permit to gather and were told by police they were not allowed to bring food or cases of water into the encampment. That's when the peaceful protest took a turn. Protesters were running past police, bringing water bottles in one by one. Police then having to intervene, and at times, get physical. One of those protesters told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that Sunday did not mark any specific occasion for gathering, they just felt the time was right.

"This is deeply painful on an existential and a moral and just a human level, and I think that begins to scratch the surface. That’s why the students are here tonight, that’s why we were here a month ago," said one Palestinian student.

In a statement, the organization behind the protest says they are calling on the university for nine specific demands:

Disclose all university investments
Divest university finances, including the endowment, from companies and institutions that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and occupation in Palestine.
Terminate all research partnerships with complicit companies
Reject the normalization of ties with the Zionist regime
Support Palestinians and Palestinian academics
Remove the IHRA definition of antisemitism from the DEI website
Issue a formal apology from Chancellor Gabel, as well as an acknowledgment, of her failing in her duties to protect Pitt community members and assure their rights
Call on the DA to drop the charges against students arrested for peacefully protesting
Assure the protection of First Amendment rights

The group is also calling for the removal of all armed officers on campus.

Monday morning protestors remain inside of the encampment, which is now surrounded by police. Additional supporters gathered throughout the morning to show their support as well.

University police are working with city of Pittsburgh police officers to monitor the situation, according to a university's spokesperson.

Pro-Palestine protest at University of Pittsburgh; 1 arrested for aggravated assault

The protesters barricaded themselves in an encampment

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