The pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Wisconsin has entered its eighth day. There are over 50 tents pitched on Library Mall, the highest number since the demonstration began April 29. 

Protest organizers have continued to hold teach-ins and provide food to protesters following the Saturday announcement that UW administrators are asking UWPD to avoid police action as long as negotiations are underway.

Some of Monday’s scheduled events include a UW faculty and staff walkout in solidarity with protesters set for 2:15 p.m. in addition to a guest speaker on the Columbia encampment and teach-ins about media bias and anti-Zionism.

This is a developing story. See live updates below.

7:01 p.m.

A teach-in demonstration on the distinction between antisemitism and anti-Zionism is underway. The Badger Herald will continue reporting on the encampment demonstration in the morning.

— Reported by Managing Editor Cat Carroll.

5:36 p.m.

At 12 p.m., a group of pro-Israel Jewish students met with members of university administration, including Mnookin. The group presented a set of 12 requests “to promote equal application and enforcement of campus practices and policies.”

Among the requests was including equal representation of members of Jewish, Israeli and unaligned communities in negotiation meetings.

— Reported by Managing Editor Cat Carroll.

3:39 p.m.

Protesters are walking in to the meeting in Bascom Hall. Mnookin is asking them to take their seats and has begun speaking. The Badger Herald will provide a full-report of the meeting later today.

— Reported by Print News Editor Blake Thor.

3:22 p.m.

About 150 faculty and staff members have returned to Library Mall from Bascom Hall. Demonstrators cheers as they returned to the site of the encampment.

— Reported by Managing Editor Cat Carroll.

3:15 p.m.

Josh Garoon, a member of the Faculty Senate spoke to protesters outside Bascom Hall. Garoon said he is attending the meeting to represent fellow community and environmental sociology professor, Alatout. Garoon added that he is representing the interests of his students.

“I could not be prouder of him [Alatout], could not be prouder of the students, they are figuring out how to make a better newer world,” Garoon said.

— Reported by Print News Editor Blake Thor.

3:11 p.m.

A UFAS representative encouraged protesters outside of Bascom Hall to attend the Senate Faculty meeting at 3:30 p.m.

“Its really important that people from this crowd be witnesses at this meeting” the speaker said.

Around 100 protesters stand outside of Bascom Hall with the intention of attending the meeting.

— Reported by Print News Editor Blake Thor.

3:05 p.m.

A Speaker representing Jewish students and faculty spoke to the crowd of protesters outside Bascom Hall. The speaker expressed frustration with UW administration’s response to the encampment last week.

“We condemn the university’s choice in the strongest possible terms to call in the police” the speaker said.

The speaker said Jewish students and faculty expect the university be able to distinguish between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. The speaker said that a letter expressing solidarity with Gaza has received over 300 signatures from Jewish faculty and staff.

— Reported by Print News Editor Blake Thor.

2:59 p.m.

A group of at least 200 faculty and staff members stands in front of Bascom Hall chanting, “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.”

— Reported by Print News Editor Blake Thor.

2:56 p.m.

A group of four counter-protesters is standing at the top of Bascom Hill. The members of the group appear to be students.

— Reported by Print News Editor Blake Thor.

2:53 p.m.

Some members of the group marching toward Bascom Hall are holding signs that read “On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, we say ‘never again’ for everyone.”

Yom HaShoah, a day of memory for Jewish people across the diaspora that remembers the six million Jewish people of Eastern Europe who were murdered in the Holocaust, began at sundown yesterday and ends at sundown today.

— Reported by Managing Editor Cat Carroll.

2:50 p.m.

The group of faculty and staff has begun walking toward Bascom Hall. The group will join the Faculty Senate meeting scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

— Reported by Managing Editor Cat Carroll.

2:47 p.m.

Two UW students, a first year PhD student and a senior, shared their experiences of being injured during police mobilization Wednesday.

“We, as students, faculty members, members of the university, stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine who no longer have universities.”

— Reported by Editor-in-Chief Celia Hiorns.

2:43 p.m.

At a special membership meeting over the weekend, the UW chapter of United Faculty and Academic Staff passed a resolution reaffirming the rights of students, faculty and staff to protest.

At the rally, a representative from UFAS condemned the use of police action last week.

“We condemn the violence and disproportionate actions taken against peaceful protesters, especially targeting faculty and staff of color,” the representative said.

— Reported by Managing Editor Cat Carroll.

2:32 p.m.

Alatout said the effort for Palestine’s sovereignty represents resistance against American and western capitalism, which negatively impacts everyone.

“Gaza is about the reordering of the global politics of the whole world,” Alatout said.

— Reported by Editor-in-Chief Celia Hiorns.

2:28 p.m.

Professor of community and environmental sociology Samer Alatout said he wants to “re-center Palestine” in the ongoing demonstration. Alatout spoke about recent attacks on Rafah and the Israeli government’s attempts to relocate civilians living there.

“I think what is really important to convey here is that it’s not that you are standing against a foreign war somewhere else,” Alatout said. “What you are doing is standing against your own complicity — your own government’s complicity — for the last 75 years.”

— Reported by Editor-in-Chief Celia Hiorns.

2:25 p.m.

UW faculty and staff at the walkout said they are working to collect signatures to convene a special meeting of the Faculty Senate with Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin to specifically discuss the protest. One speaker said assistant professors face high risks while participating in protests, so they are working to recruit tenured faculty to support the cause.

During the 3:30 p.m. Faculty Senate meeting, protest organizers plan to challenge campus leaders about the use of police action on Wednesday.

— Reported by Editor-in-Chief Celia Hiorns.

2:21 p.m.

A couple hundred faculty and staff members have gathered on Library Mall as part of the 2:15 p.m. walkout. The crowd is chanting, “When Palestine is under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back.”

— Reported by Managing Editor Cat Carroll.

1:51 p.m.

The UW University Committee discussed the encampment protest on Library Mall at their 1 p.m. meeting Monday. Members of the committee acknowledged protesters met with UW administration Saturday, but that a resolution has not yet been reached. University Committee Chair Susan Thibeault said another meeting between administration and protest negotiators has not yet been scheduled to her knowledge. Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin was expected to attend the University Committee meeting but cancelled.

Members of the committee said their statement on the protests released Friday, which members said has been well-received by UW faculty, was intended to show faculty the committee is listening to and  having conversations about the protests.

The committee also discussed how to handle the Faculty Senate meeting scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Monday. The committee is expecting increased attendance from UW faculty and student protesters, who plan to meet on Library Mall at 2:30 p.m., then march to Bascom Hall where the Faculty Senate meeting is set to take place.

Committee members said Mnookin will be present and listening to statements from faculty, but will not be answering any questions directly related to the protests. During the question period of the Faculty Senate meeting, senators will have priority speaking time, followed by attending faculty. Committee members said students will not permitted to speak unless approved by a floor vote. Thibeault said the meeting may extend past its scheduled end time of 5:30 p.m. to allow students the chance to speak, as long as the discussion is considered productive.

If protesters and faculty become disruptive, they will be asked to abide by the rules of the body or leave. Protesters attending the Faculty Senate meeting are plan to “[follow] all posted rules and regulations,” according to the protest flyer.

— Reported by Print News Editor Blake Thor.

11:21 a.m.

During 11 a.m. announcements, an organizer said there were no updates with negotiations, but organizers were working to set up another meeting with UW administration. The speaker also read the demonstration’s demands and community guidelines, reminding demonstrators to stay focused on the cause and to show respect for other protesters.

Finally, the speaker shared a letter of support the UW demonstration had received from Students United for Palestinian Equality & Return at the University of Washington, Seattle.

“We remain hopeful and optimistic that we will all achieve our demands and see an end to the occupation and genocide,” the letter said. “We stand firmly in solidarity with your community.”

— Reported by Editor-in-Chief Celia Hiorns.

8:22 a.m.

Around 10 demonstrators are participating in somatic practice workshop on the Memorial Union side of Library Mall. The encampment is peaceful.

— Reported by Managing Editor Sophia Scolman.