Pro-Palestinian protesters set up encampment at University of Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pro-Palestinian protesters have set up a new encampment at the University of Pittsburgh on Sunday. 

The protesters have established the camp outside the Cathedral of Learning on Pitt’s campus in the Oakland neighborhood. They have set up a fence and a human chain around the encampment. 

In a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, the University of Pittsburgh Police Department said, “The Cathedral of Learning and William Pitt Union are closed due to a public disturbance.”

Pitt police is asking people to avoid the area, adding that city and university police are responding. 

When asked what message the protesters are trying to share with the camp, they referred KDKA-TV to a statement they posted on Instagram, which said in part:

“From its continued and deafening silence to material investments in the ‘Israel’ occupation, Pitt maintains its complicity in genocide in Gaza.”

They are also asking for Pitt to “disclose all university investments,” and “divest University of Pittsburgh finances, including the endowment, from companies and institutions that profit from Israel,” among others. 

This comes after the Schenley Plaza encampment near the University of Pittsburgh cleared in late April. During that time, two people were arrested by Pitt police as protesters tried to occupy the area around the Cathedral of Learning.

College campuses across the United States have seen demonstrations since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October.