Wayne State encampment removed, multiple arrests made by university police

Wayne State University police broke up a pro-Palestinian encampment on the university’s campus early Thursday morning and reportedly have made several arrests after several days of remote learning due to the ongoing situation.

According to a statement from WSU President Kimberly Andrews Espy, Wayne State police made repeated announcements that they were clearing the area beginning at 5:30 a.m. to allow everyone time to gather their belongings and leave. Many people have left, the statement said, however “final cleanup of the area is ongoing.”

Wayne State University student and President of the Muslim Coaltion at WSU Ali Hassan said Thursday morning students were not given enough time to get their things and leave, however.

“Police surrounded the students. And they were not, initially they were not even letting them leave,” Hassan said. “We actually had to move the police away to kind of get out and there was also six students that have been arrested so far.”

Espy says protest organizers rejected repeated requests to meet with her earlier this week.

Students say they were willing to meet Espy, but on their terms to ensure the student group had the correct representation and that the meeting was open to all who wanted to be a part of the conversation.

Following the dismantling of the encampment, protestors chanted on Anthony Wayne Drive to the left of Starbucks as about 16 officers formed a line in riot gear. Additional students were arrested while protesting peacefully. 

Wayne State Police said they arrested 12 people, who were later released Thursday afternoon.

President Espy says the camp posed health, safety, legal, and operational risks, but did not give specifics in her statement Thursday morning. The university announced in an email Thursday evening that they would resume normal campus operations on Friday.

WDET’s Pat Batcheller and Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.