6 things to know about protests that erupted on VCU campus overnight

Here’s a look at what happened:

Protestors gathered Monday outside James Cabell Library.

VCU student and protest organizer Sereen Haddad, 19, said the group was taking cues from demonstrators on college campuses across the country.

“This is a zone for the community to come together for one common cause, which is the liberation of Palestinian people and Palestinians’ right for self-determination,” Haddad said of the latest such gathering at VCU.

College officials around the U.S. are asking student protesters to clear out tent encampments. Police arrested demonstrators at the University of Texas, and Columbia University said it was beginning to suspend students who defied an ultimatum to disband the encampment there.

Early protests at Columbia sparked pro-Palestinian protest encampments at schools across the U.S. 

On Sunday night and early Monday, police cleared the lawn of the Virginia Tech Graduate Life Center of a three-day protest against Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

Police approached protesters in the so-called Gaza Liberation Encampment at 10:15 p.m. and told them they would be subject to arrest if they did not disperse within five minutes.

The university had said since Friday that the encampment “was not a registered event consistent with university policy.”

As of late Monday, police reported more than 80 people had been arrested as the protests had grown to more than 300 people. 

Nine University of Mary Washington students were also arrested over the weekend after protests on the Fredericksburg campus, said Amirah Ahmed, president of the school’s Students for Justice in Palestine group.

On Sunday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, speaking with CNN’s “State of the Union” from Ramstein Air Base in Germany, had said Virginia would protect peaceful gatherings on campus, but will not tolerate instances of intimidation and hate speech.

Youngkin, speaking hours before police made arrests at Virginia Tech over the weekend, said: “First we have to begin with the fact that freedom of expression and peacefully demonstrating is at the heart of our First Amendment, and we must protect it.

“But that does not go to, in fact, intimidating Jewish students and preventing them from attending class and using annihilation speech to express deeply antisemitic views.”

Youngkin, who is on a trade mission to Europe, said he has been working with Attorney General Jason Miyares, university presidents and law enforcement at the state, local and campus levels “to make sure that, if there are protests, they are peaceful.”

“We’re not going to have encampments and tents put up,” he added.

An encampment sprung up in the heart of VCU’s Monroe Park campus on Monday night.

Speaking in the middle of the park adorned with Palestinian flags and posters, Haddad laid out the group’s demands: disclosure of any university investments in Israel or in companies that support Israel, divestment from those companies, protection of pro-Palestine speech on campus and a university declaration calling for a cease-fire and the “immediate end to the occupation, colonization and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and … U.S. complicity in (the) ongoing genocide.”

Haddad also said the release of “hostages on both sides … needs to happen.”

The group will remain on the lawn as long as needed, Haddad said — until its demands are met. By Monday afternoon, the protesters were chanting and dancing, working on homework, and screen printing posters and T-shirts.

Wagons of tents were present and protesters brought food, water and tarps Monday morning. Haddad initially would not confirm that the group planned to set up an encampment as protesters have done on college campuses across the U.S., but said the group had been “inspired” by such events nationwide.

“People have started to take that step because … the steps we have taken so far … are not working,” she said. “With that in mind, people decide to peacefully escalate.”

By around 5:30 p.m., dozens of tents were erected.

At VCU, the first signs that a showdown was imminent came at 7:30 p.m., when VCU sent an alert to the campus community that said campus police were on the scene of a “public assembly” at the Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. The alert said to “avoid the area.” At 8:47 p.m., VCU issued another alert to the campus community that said, “Violent Protest Monroe Park. Go inside.” 

Unmarked vehicles and buses of police in riot gear were seen amassing near Monroe Park. VCU police declared an unlawful assembly. Around the time police moved in, emergency sirens were activated in the vicinity of the protesters.

The library had signs saying it was closed but were letting in people as needed as the chaos ensued. 

Richmond Times-Dispatch reporters at the park described a chaotic scene, starting at around 8:30 p.m., of protesters hurling objects at the police. Officers, some in riot gear, were seen spraying some sort of chemical agent to disperse the crowd. Witnesses said police made several arrests.

VCU Police declared an unlawful assembly, and officers in riot gear advanced on the crowd, some officers spraying chemical agents.

“You don’t have to do this,” protestors were heard saying. “You’re on the wrong side of history.”

Del. Rozia Henson (D-Prince William), Del. Joshua Cole (D-Fredericksburg), Del. Adele McClure (D-Arlington), Del. Nadarius Clark (D-Suffolk) and Sen. Saddam Salim (D-Fairfax) in a statement said:

“Freedom of speech and the right to protest are rights protected by the United States Constitution. Full stop,” Henson said. “Arresting students for exercising their constitutionally protected rights to peacefully assemble and protest violence erodes confidence in our own governmental institutions and must be closely scrutinized.”

Salim also wrote on social media: “Sending in the police to break up a peaceful protest at a public university is a complete violation of these students’ right to free speech and assembly.

VCU in a statement late Monday said the “gathering violated several university policies.” 

“VCU respectfully and repeatedly provided opportunities for those individuals involved – many of whom were not students — to collect their belongings and leave. Those who did not leave were subject to arrest for trespassing,” the statement said. “While supporting an environment that fosters protected speech and expressive activity, VCU must maintain an atmosphere free of disruption to the university’s mission.”