DENVER — Several students at Denver's Auraria campus were detained by police in riot gear as protests against the Israel-Hamas war on the college campus continued for a second day Friday.
Auraria officials alerted students on and off campus to avoid Tivoli Quad "due to civil unrest" at around 12:30 p.m. before sending a second alert about 45 minutes later, telling everyone that all inbound traffic into the campus had been shut down.
By then, law enforcement in riot gear had responded to the encampment that had formed on the Tivoli Quad lawn a day earlier, as seen by AirTracker7. Officers — dressed in full protective gear and batons — were seen blocking students from entering their tents and taking some of the students who were resisting into one of at least two Denver Sheriff Department buses.
"You must disperse. Failure to disperse will subject each of you to arrest and prosecution," officers in riot gear could be heard telling protesters in a video posted by the Colorado Palestine Coalition on Instagram before the arrests began. "If you remain, reasonable and necessary force will be used to remove you."
The protest — one of several across the country after last week’s arrest of more than 100 demonstrators at Columbia University — was organized by the Colorado Palestine Coalition (CPC) and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).
The group is asking the three schools inside the Auraria campus to take a public stance against the Israel-Hamas war. In all, the SDS issued six demands:
- Divestment: The University of Colorado shall fully divest from any corporations which operate in Israel.
- Refuse Grants: The University of Colorado shall refuse to accept grants or funding from corporations that contract with the U.S. armed forces and terminate any relationships with said corporations.
- End to Study Abroad: The University of Colorado shall terminate its study abroad programs to Israel.
- Statement: The University of Colorado shall write and publish a statement condemning the genocidal actions of Israel.
- Transparency: The University of Colorado shall fully disclose its financial investments.
- Meeting: Chancellor Michelle Marks of CU Denver will meet with student organizers, discuss and plan the implementation of the above demands directed at CU.
“It's not a hard ask. It's the humane and right thing to do," Geral Mueller, an SDS representative, told Denver7 Thursday.
A spokesperson for the Auraria Higher Education (AHEC) said the encampment violates their policy. Although students are allowed to peacefully protest, setting up tents is a violation.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
