Pro-Palestinian protesters who set up an encampment on Denver's Auraria Campus told university officials they are engaged in "civil disobedience" and have no plans to dismantle the tents.
Meanwhile, the officials reiterated that the activists may engage in a peaceful protest — but they need to take the encampment down, as it violates campus policy.
That's how university officials described a one-hour meeting between the executive leaders of the Auraria Campus and leaders of the Students for a Democratic Society. The people who included two students from University of Colorado Denver, two students from Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver and Z Williams, as well as Auraria Higher Education Center CEO Colleen Walker, CU Denver Chancellor Michelle Marks and MSU Denver President Janine Davidson.
The goal of the meeting, the university officials said, is to "listen to the group’s perspectives and try to achieve an amicable path forward," Auraria Campus officials said in a joint statement on Tuesday.
"SDS leaders indicated that they are engaging in 'civil disobedience'; they recognize that they are in violation of the campus no-camping policy; and they have no intention of removing the tents until their demands are met," the officials said in a news release.
Protesters confirmed no agreement was reached.
Ignoring university officials, pro-Palestinian protesters have set up roughly 50 tents in an encampment that started on Thursday. Demonstrators over the weekend at the Auraria Campus in Denver say they are prepared to "defend" the encampment until their demands — notably divestment from companies that operate in Israel — are met.
The protest — and the arrests on Friday — were the latest in what has been a wave of pro-Palestinian rallies on campuses across the United States in the last several days and increasing worries by Jewish students for their physical safety.
"Campus leaders also asked many times what ideas the students have for ensuring the quad can be equitably used by other community members," the officials said in a news release, adding they "reiterated to the students that their list of demands largely sits outside of her purview, as many fall under the CU Board of Regents and President."
After hearing the news of the meeting, protesters outside of the encampment yelled, "Shame!"
"You support genocide!" they added.
On Friday, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston had tried to persuade the protesters to dismantle the tents.
"It's more of the same. Our demands are not being met," one protester told Johnston, who replied, "I have no capacity to meet any of your demands."
As Johnston walked away, one of the protesters yelled, "You (expletive) fascist."
University officials said they asked the protest organizers to continue the "dialogue to come up with creative ways to move forward."
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