KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – While a Pro-Palestinian group encampment at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is now in its second week, some tent still remain at Western Michigan University.
A representative from the university said the encampment began at WMU Saturday, the same day as Spring Commencement on campus. The protesters have been asked to remove the tents, because the university said students are allowed to protest, but aren’t permitted to set up encampments.
University spokesperson Paula Davis issued a statement to protesters, saying, “Western Michigan University fully supports your right to protest and you are permitted to remain on this property. We support and respect your right to demonstrate. I respectfully ask that you dismantle the tents.”
The tents were set up on the lawn outside WMU’s Faunce Student Services building. The protesters who set up camp Saturday were from WMU, Kalamazoo College, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
There was also some graffiti written on walls around campus reading ”Free Gaza,” “U.S. War Machine = Israel War Machine” and “Destroy Settler Colonialism.”
There are nearly two-dozen tents on the Diag of the University of Michigan campus. Protesters at universities across the country are calling for schools to cut ties with companies they say are benefiting from the war in Gaza.
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