Throughout the day and into the night Monday, University of Wisconsin students and local community members led a demonstration denouncing the ongoing war in Gaza and calling for the university’s divestment from the state of Israel.
The demonstration began 9 a.m. Monday morning as protesters joined one another in leading chants, undeterred by rainfall. Around 9:40 a.m., protesters built an encampment while chanting “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.” As protesters continued their demonstration throughout the day, as many as 24 tents were put up on Library Mall.
Around 11 a.m., demands for UW were posted in a joint Instagram post with Students for Justice in Palestine UW–Madison, National Students for Justice in Palestine, Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine, Young Democratic Socialists of America, and Young Democratic Socialists of America at UW–Madison.
The demands included divestment from companies on the American Friends Service Committee website, disclosure of the UW Foundation’s investments, cutting ties with Israeli institutions, calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, removal of police from campus, and ending land expansion.
A commitment to community underscored Monday’s demonstration. Lead organizers from SJP UW–Madison connected those in attendance with resources for medical and legal aid. Protesters shared food and water with one another, and made space for observant Muslim protesters to pray.
Chants and teach-in sessions occurred at various points throughout the day and the demonstration remained peaceful and contained overall. Counter-protesters appeared at multiple points but were escorted away by UW Police Department officers on site. At one point in the day, a group of people stood facing the encampment while holding an Israel flag.
Monday afternoon, UW faculty, staff, alumni and donors said in a statement in solidarity they were “heartened to see our students’ commitment to critical thinking and civic engagement on display, alongside that of their peers across the nation.” Since its release, the statement has received support from hundreds of members of the greater campus community.
UW Dean of Students Christina Olstad was present on Library Mall in the morning as the encampment was built. She handed out flyers to protesters with information on campus and state policy regarding protests and encampments, which are defined and prohibited on university property under Chapter 18 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code. Olstad returned to the site of the demonstration around 6 p.m., once again handing out flyers with information on relevant policies.
At 7:15 p.m., UW administrators shared a message with the campus community about the demonstration. In the message, campus leadership told protesters that once in compliance with campus and state policy, a time could be arranged to discuss the demands made earlier in the day.
As night fell, protesters remained in solidarity with one another. They stood around the perimeter of the encampment chanting and playing Palestinian music. In some chants, the protesters called on law enforcement to allow them to demonstrate peacefully.
Officers from UWPD, the Madison Police Department, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin State Patrol gathered at the Fluno Center around 9:45 p.m. The officers were equipped with batons and gas mask pouches. Marked and unmarked cars with officers departed the Fluno Center around 11:35 p.m. Officers from the various law enforcement offices were seen across campus, but no action was taken against protesters.
After midnight, UW student and District 8 Ald. MGR Govindarajan shared with protesters that UWPD recommended the best action would be to clear the tents from Library Mall. He told protesters following a call with UWPD Interim Chief Brent Plisch the officers said should the encampment be cleared overnight, protesters would receive at least one warning prior to any police action.
UWPD officers were stationed around the encampment throughout the night to ensure the safety of protesters.
