Portland State University students join nationwide movement for Gaza ceasefire

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) – A nationwide movement has arrived at the campus of Portland State University as demonstrators calling for a ceasefire in Gaza began protesting Thursday night – and returned to the campus on Friday.

A few dozen people have joined the group at South Park Blocks in front of the library at PSU. Student journalists at the university said there were around 35 people during the previous night’s demonstration.

Portland police began to break up the protest around 9 p.m. Thursday to comply with the park’s hours, but people didn’t disperse until 1 a.m.

“There was no direct confrontation. There was no physical confrontation,” JJ Christensen, a writer with PSU’s Vanguard newspaper, said. “They kind of stood back and said, ‘Hey you guys have to leave,’ and then they left.”

The Park Blocks are not technically PSU property, but the university said they will keep monitoring the situation with campus police while working to ensure the safety of staff and students.

The crowd wants Portland State to not only advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza, but also cut ties with companies they believe are profiting from the crisis abroad.

“It takes a lot of courage to stand up to people in power, and this new generation is starting to do it. If everyone stands up and speaks together they can’t defeat us,” one protester, Casper, said.

A letter from PSU President Ann Cudd stated the university will pause accepting donations or gifts from Boeing , adding that “the passion with which these demands are being repeatedly expressed by some in our community motivates me, as a scholar of academic ethics and a university leader responsible for the well being of our campus constituents, to listen and ask additional questions.

Cudd said the university will host a forum to hear from students and debate which way PSU should move forward.

So far, no students or staff have been sanctioned due to these demonstrations. Portland police said they anticipate similar gatherings will happen while they monitor the situation.

“Gatherings are lawful and again, we support the First Amendment rights of our community. But occupying a park after closure hours could result in arrest and prosecution. Individuals who engage in violent activity or property destruction will be investigated and are subject to arrest and prosecution,” police said in a statement.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.

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