Professional-Palestinian protesters stormed the Institute of Politics constructing on the College of Chicago on Friday afternoon, overturning furnishings, damaging property and confronting the institute’s director, former Senator Heidi Heitkamp. She refused their demand that she depart her workplace, college officers mentioned, including that she was the one workers member within the constructing.
The demonstration continued into the night outdoors the institute, about two blocks from the place a protest encampment was eliminated by campus police final week.
In an announcement, the protest group on Friday mentioned that it had occupied the constructing to protest the College of Chicago’s ties to Israel. Bystander video confirmed protesters climbing by way of second-floor home windows to go away the constructing as the gang beneath cheered.
After demonstrators had been cleared from the constructing by the police, different protesters remained outdoors and in yards close by, chanting, yelling and pounding drums.
Jeremy Manier, a college spokesman, mentioned in an announcement that protesters had tried to dam the doorway of the constructing, broken property and ignored orders from regulation enforcement officers to go away.
“The College of Chicago is basically dedicated to upholding the rights of protesters to precise a variety of views,” he mentioned. “On the identical time, college insurance policies make it clear that protests can’t jeopardize public security, disrupt the college’s operations or contain the destruction of property.”
An indication figuring out the Institute of Politics constructing was lined with a cardboard placard that learn “everlasting cease-fire now,” and a set of calls for had been hung from the constructing. Among the many calls for was “abolish the college.”
Jeremy W. Peters contributed reporting.
