Washington, D.C
Republican lawmakers urge DC leaders to clear growing GWU protest encampment
Pro-Palestinian protest at GWU draws attention of far-right members of Congress
On Wednesday, members of Congress visited the George Washington University campus to observe the pro-Palestinian firsthand. The Republican lawmakers are calling on D.C. leaders to clear the encampment. FOX 5’s Nana-Sentuo Bonsu has the story.
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, members of Congress visited the George Washington University campus to observe the pro-Palestinian protest firsthand.
The Republican lawmakers are calling on D.C. leaders to clear the encampment.
Last Thursday, when the protest began at GWU, there were about two dozen tents on a portion of the University Yard – and nearly a week later – over a hundred tents covered the entire area, spilling over onto H Street — forcing police to block off a section of the road.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) uses a bullhorn to be heard over the crowd noise during a press conference at the George Washington University Gaza encampment, Washington, DC, May 1, 2024. Hundreds of students opposed to the far-right Republicans who visi
FOX 5 asked organizers when they plan on leaving, and they said they’ll go when their demands are met.
Pro-Palestinian supporters want immediate disclosure of all investments and endowments of the university, and divestment of all funds related to Israel and academic partnerships.
Across the country, there have been similar demonstrations at several universities, with some turning violent – students and police clashing – leading to arrests.
Since the beginning of this demonstration, leaders at GWU stated that the encampment was unauthorized.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) speaks with reporters as he and other far-right Republican members of the House Oversight Committee visit the George Washington University Gaza encampment, Washington, DC, May 1, 2024. GWU students established the camp the p
Republican members of the House Oversight Committee stopped by the yard Wednesday to check out the demonstration.
“You’re not allowed to camp out on the lawn of the university, said Rep. Byron Donalds, one of the Republican members of the House Oversight Committee who stopped by the yard Wednesday to check out the demonstration. “The president has asked for the encampment to be disbursed. That is trespassing. Now Muriel Bowser needs to step up and support GWU.”
According to reports, GWU asked the Metropolitan Police Department for assistance to take down the encampment last week, but Mayor Bowser denied the request.
D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson told FOX 5 on his way to the encampment, that he didn’t have any information regarding the mayor’s actions.
“What public safety leaders have learned over the years is that it’s important to handle this kind of protest carefully, so it doesn’t escalate,” Mendelson said.
A Washington, DC, police officer stands on duty at a Gaza solidarity encampment at George Washington University, Washington, DC, April, 29, 2024. GWU students have maintained the encampment for four days in conjunction with other DC-area universities
Across from the yard filled with tents are pro-Israel supporters holding the Israeli flag.
“If you look at Jewish history, 6 million of us died in Europe, and it’s sad to see the signs here that say ‘Jews should go back to Europe’ which is their homeland,” said Gabe Mahfar, a GWU freshman.
“I need to be here to support my people. It’s as simple as that,” added Matt Engel, another pro-Israel supporter.
In a statement sent to FOX 5, the Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson said, “MPD regularly supports peaceful First Amendment activities through the District of Columbia. MPD does not comment on operational tactics and procedures. The George Washington University Police Department has the lead in the response to First Amendment demonstrations occurring on GWU grounds. Since Thursday, MPD has stood in support of its response. Demonstrations are also occurring on public spaces adjacent to the university. MPD will continue to monitor this First Amendment activity, both on and off GWU property. This activity has remained peaceful.”
GWU president speaks out against pro-Palestine protesters
George Washington University’s president says the encampment on University Yard violates the rules of conduct and behavior. She also said the actions of some protesters have been highly offensive to many members of the university community, and that the hateful language being displayed has no place on campus. FOX 5’s Shomari Stone has the story.
Jaemi Theatre Company, a new AAPI-led theater company based in Washington, DC, officially launches this spring with its inaugural project, BAAL, a staged reading at the 2026 Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival on Friday, March 6, at 7:30 PM at the Atlas Performing Arts Center.
Founded by Artistic Director Youri Kim and Artistic Associate Juyoung Koh, Jaemi Theatre was born out of a recognition that DC, one of the largest theater markets in the United States, had no company dedicated to centering Asian stories or led by Asian artists. The name “Jaemi” comes from a Korean word meaning “fun,” and in its Sino-Korean form, 在美, means both “to live in America” and “to live in beauty.”
“I kept hearing from companies that it was hard to find Asian actors, and I heard it so often that I started to believe it myself,” said Youri Kim. “But through building community with other AAPI theater artists in the area, I realized the talent was always here. What was missing was the infrastructure to connect us. Jaemi is that infrastructure.”
BAAL, an original work written by Youri Kim (not to be confused with Bertolt Brecht’s 1918 play of the same name), is a body horror drama set in a dystopian city where the air is toxic and birth is outlawed. In the city of Baal, citizens are forced into an impossible choice: terminate or sacrifice a family member. The play uses the language of biological mutation and bodily control to examine how systems of power decide who gets to exist and on what terms, questions that resonate deeply within AAPI and immigrant communities navigating structures that seek to define, contain, and assimilate them. The staged reading features a cast of seven and an original sound design.
BAAL plays as a staged reading Friday, March 6, 2026, at 7:30 PM in Lab Theatre II at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St NE, Washington, DC). Tickets ($29.75) are available online.
Looking ahead, Jaemi Theatre plans to host a founding party and fundraiser this fall, and will launch an Asian Writer Play Submission program in the second half of 2026. The program will pair playwrights from selected Asian countries with Asian playwrights based in DC for a workshop development process, building a pipeline that connects diasporic voices across borders.
For more information, visit yourikimdirector.com or follow @jaemitheatre on Instagram.
About Jaemi Theatre Company
Jaemi Theatre is a newly formed AAPI-led performance initiative based in Washington, DC, co-founded by Artistic Director Youri Kim and Artistic Associate Juyoung Koh. “Jaemi” is Korean for “fun” and, in its Sino-Korean form, means “to live in America” and “to live in beauty.” The company creates interdisciplinary performance rooted in diasporic imagination and radical storytelling. Jaemi is a home for the unfinished and the unassimilated, where performance holds contradiction without needing to resolve it.
Sunday, March 1, 2026 6:36AM
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The San Francisco Ballet board has voted to cancel its upcoming performances at the Kennedy Center.
The company is scheduled for a four-day run in Washington D.C. in May.
Petition urges SF Ballet to cancel Kennedy Center tour stop as company opens 2026 season
Last year, Pres. Donald Trump overhauled the Kennedy Center’s board, including naming himself the chairman.
That led several artists to cancel scheduled performances.
A statement from SF Ballet says the group “looks forward to performing for Washington, D.C. audiences in the future.”
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At 97, Veteran Harley Wero wasn’t up for a trip to the nation’s capital, so volunteers from the Western North Dakota honor flight brought the trip to him. Wero, his wife Muriel and their daughter Jennifer got to experience Washington, DC, without ever leaving their home.
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