Pro-Palestine protesters leave KU campus after police get involved; 3 arrested

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Three people were arrested Friday morning at the University of Kansas when police cleared out the pro-Palestine student encampment.

For the first time since May 1, the area outside of Fraser Hall is clear and quiet. Eight days of demonstrations came to an end Thursday night after KU officials warned protestors they had to leave the site by 10 p.m. or campus police would get involved.

Police began dispersing the crowd around 11 p.m. Thursday, according to the Lawrence Times .

Around midnight, campus police arrested three people for suspicion of criminal trespassing.

According to Lawrence Times reports , this was not the first interaction between police and protestors this week.

Campus police removed cases of water, lawn chairs, signs, tents and other items from the area because they were not permitted. Camping isn’t allowed on campus after 10 p.m.

After more than a week of demonstrations, university officials hand-delivered a letter to protestors on Thursday, alerting them of what was to come.

The letter said the demonstration had become a threat to this weekend’s commencement, where visitors would be coming to campus for the ceremony and other events.

The situation on campus is calm, for now, but the added element of graduation will keep campus officials and police on high alert. Not just at KU but on campuses across the country.

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