University of Pennsylvania officials said less than a third of the protesters arrested Friday during anti-Israel protests on campus were students.
“Penn police have now confirmed 9 Penn students were among the 33 individuals arrested — the other 24 individuals have no Penn affiliation,” the university said in a statement.
“The arrested individuals were given code violation notices for defiant trespass and were released quickly throughout the morning. Upon searching the encampment, Penn police recovered several homemade weapons devised chains, bolts, and other metal parts.”
“At approximately 5:30am this morning, Penn Police, with support from the Philadelphia Police Department, took steps to remove the unauthorized encampment on College Green,” a spokesperson said. “Protestors were given multiple warnings that they were trespassing and offered the opportunity to voluntarily leave and avoid citation.
“Those who chose to stay did so knowing that they would be arrested and removed,” the spokesperson added. “Approximately 33 individuals were arrested without incident and cited for defiant trespass.”
Interim UPenn President J. Larry Jameson and other top university officials released a joint statement this morning saying the encampment’s removal was an “unfortunate but necessary step to prevent violence, restore operations, and return our campus to our community.”
“We have worked with serious intention for nearly two weeks to engage the protestors on College Green, who were notified on April 26th — the second day of the encampment — that they were in violation of Penn’s policies,” the administrators wrote. “This outreach has been met by unreasonable demands and a dangerous escalation of the encampment.”
Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
