NEW ORLEANS — Police in New Orleans moved in on the encampment on the Tulane campus early Wednesday morning so the school could go back to "a normal day at Tulane."
More than 100 officers from the New Orleans Police Department, Tulane and Loyola campus police, and Louisiana State Police moved in on the encampment initially set up Monday evening after a march in support of Palestine.
At least 20 arrests were made even as some protesters could be seen running or walking off of the campus to the neutral ground. A WWL Louisiana crew witnessed some protesters being "dragged away." Loyola and Tulane University later confirmed to WWL Louisiana that among the students arrested at the protest, five were Loyola students and three were Tulane students.
Police said those on campus violating trespassing laws were possibly arrested even if they had exited the area just before the move-in.
"Early this morning, after issuing numerous warnings, Tulane University Police Department led a coordinated effort by the New Orleans Police Department and Louisiana State Police to remove protestors who have trespassed on our campus over the last two days and erected an illegal encampment on the edge of the lawn in front of Gibson Hall along St. Charles Avenue," said a statement from Tulane.
The university claims that the majority of the protesters are not affiliated with the school.
Cleanup crews could be seen cleaning up debris and the large wooden pallets that had been used to make a barricade for the protesters. Tulane officials said that the three buildings that had been closed the previous two days – Tilton, Gibson, and Dinwiddie, would be closed again Wednesday "out of an abundance of caution" but that classes would be held remotely and that otherwise, campus life would go back to a "normal day."
In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter) at 10:45 a.m., the three buildings will reopen for normal operations on Thursday. However, Cowen Circle will continue to be closed to traffic and parking.
"We will return fully to normal operations on our uptown campus as we enter finals week," the statement read. "We are also looking forward to welcoming families and friends to campus in just a few weeks to celebrate our graduates at commencement."
NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the department's independent police monitor was on hand to observe the process.
The story continues under the video
Tulane grad student: "Protest was peaceful"
WWL Viewer Photos
WWL Viewer Photos: Police clash with Pro-Palestine protesters on Tulane campus
Kirkpatrick said if police used excessive force in any way, it would have been captured on video.
"We had cameras all over the place," she said. "We will look at every single bit of video footage. We will take all complaints of injury."
Kirkpatrick was asked directly why police let the encampment go on for nearly 36 hours before stepping in.
"Everything is involved in a balance, we wanted people to be able to have a voice and not create a violation of the law. This is protected property. We wanted to give them an opportunity to peacefully remove themselves and not violate the rights of others as well. And so we wanted to give that room.”
Kristin Hamilton, a graduate student at Tulane University was there when the officers moved in before dawn Wednesday. She and other protesters said police in riot gear outnumbered the protesters by nearly 2 to 1 and that the number of officers and level of force wasn't necessary.
Governor Jeff Landry and the Louisiana State Police Superintendent Colonel Robert Hodges issued the following statements following law enforcement’s clearing of the unlawful protests on Tulane’s campus.
“My appreciation goes out to Tulane President Michael Fitts, the Tulane Police Department, Tulane Police Chief Frank Young, New Orleans Police Chief Anna Kirkpatrick, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police for safely clearing the Tulane campus of those who sought to illegally occupy the campus! Many colleges across our country may allow this lawlessness, but Louisiana will NOT. This State will not tolerate those who seek to disturb the peace by means of criminality,” said Governor Jeff Landry.
“At the request of the Tulane University Police Department and the New Orleans Police Department, Louisiana State Police assisted with removing the unsanctioned protests on Tulane’s campus this morning," stated Colonel Robert P. Hodges, Louisiana State Police Superintendent. “Our Troopers worked alongside our partner agencies to ensure the safety of students, protestors, and the surrounding community while restoring order and peace to the Tulane University campus.”
The story continues under the video
Tulane protest organizer says no need for such an overwhelming police force
"Once the riot police showed up with multiple SWAT cars, we moved to the neutral ground, because it is public property..." she said. "It was peaceful, a non-violent protest. Some of us were praying before they moved in. There was no violence. There was no riot... They shot what seemed to be smoke bombs at us."
Serena Sojic-Borne, a Tulane alum and an organizer with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization said the encampment had been organized by Tulane and Loyola's Students for a Democratic Society in an attempt to get Tulane to divest from investments in Israel.
"They vastly overwhelmed the protesters," said Sojic-Borne. "They began to line up on St. Charles Avenue, blocking both sides of the neutral ground. Protesters were never given a dispersal order... We were on public property, so we had no idea where to go."
However, video shot by WWL Louisiana clearly has audio of State Police warning protesters that they are going to be dispersed and that chemical agents could be used that could cause pain. They also advised those wishing to leave safely to take St. Charles Avenue or to head toward Audubon Park. In fact, Sojic-Borne can be seen on video responding to those orders by telling some people who wished to stay to hold the line, while telling others who wished to disperse to do so on public property.
Sojic-Borne said the group would pressure the jail to release the arrested protesters and demand that Tulane divest from Israel.
This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information comes in.
NOPD chief addresses police action
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