Philadelphia, PA - May 18, 2024 - In a significant development in the ongoing pro-Palestinian protests in the region, demonstrators have set up a new encampment at Drexel University in Philadelphia. This move comes amidst heavy rainfall, as hundreds marched from Center City to University City.
The march, which paused to block traffic at 33rd and Market Streets, saw a group of protesters beginning to set up tents on Drexel’s nearby Academic Quadrangle, also known as the Korman Family Quad. This marks a new target in the growing encampment movement that has swept the region in recent weeks.
The demonstrators, numbering in the hundreds, descended on the college green Saturday evening. They locked arms in a circle while erecting more than a dozen tents. The encampment, complete with lawn chairs and tables to create a barrier around the crowd, echoed the rallying cry at encampment protests from the neighboring University of Pennsylvania campus.
The protesters directed chants towards Drexel leaders to “disclose and divest” from any military-related spending. Despite the heavy police presence from Drexel University and the Philadelphia Police Department, no intervention was reported as of 7 p.m. The university has not yet responded to requests for comment on the situation.
This encampment at Drexel University follows a series of similar protests in the region, most notably at the University of Pennsylvania, where a similar encampment was established earlier in the week. The protests are part of a broader movement calling for an end to U.S. support of Israel in the Gaza war and for the universities to divest from any military-related spending.
As the situation continues to unfold, the encampment at Drexel University serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions and the growing voice of the pro-Palestinian movement in the region. The response from the university and local authorities remains to be seen, but the impact of these protests on the broader conversation about the Israel-Palestine conflict is undeniable.
