CLEVELAND —  After 11 days of demonstration, pro-Palestinian protesters at Case Western Reserve University have torn down their encampment.

What You Need To Know

  • After 11 days of demonstration, pro-Palestinian protesters at Case Western Reserve University have torn down their encampment

  • In a statement, student protesters cited “increasing risks of arbitrary retaliation from President Eric W. Kaler following his recent threats toward students, faculty, and staff involved in the protests” for their decision to tear down

  • In a statement released Friday morning, Kaler said, “I want to reiterate that any student, faculty or staff member who is found to have violated the university’s policies will be held accountable through the relevant conduct processes, which we have initiated. Legal action also may be pursued, including for those unaffiliated with the university who trespassed on university property and continually broke the safety guidelines and rules we set for this protest to protect our community”

  • The move to tear the encampment down comes a couple of days after student protesters were filmed being spray-painted over by a contractor hired by the university

After 11 days of demonstration, pro-Palestinian protesters at Case Western Reserve University have torn down their encampment.

In a statement, student protesters cited "increasing risks of arbitrary retaliation from President Eric W. Kaler following his recent threats toward students, faculty, and staff involved in the protests" for their decision to tear down.

In a statement released Friday morning, Kaler said, "I want to reiterate that any student, faculty or staff member who is found to have violated the university's policies will be held accountable through the relevant conduct processes, which we have initiated. Legal action also may be pursued, including for those unaffiliated with the university who trespassed on university property and continually broke the safety guidelines and rules we set for this protest to protect our community."

The move to tear the encampment down comes a couple of days after student protesters were filmed being spray-painted over by a contractor hired by the university.

Thursday was the last day of finals at CWRU, and that's when students started tearing down tents.

Everything was cleaned up by Friday morning.

They also mentioned other outside threats to dismantle the encampment from students and non-student extremist agitators.

Kaler apologized for the incident.

Earlier this week, students marched to administrative offices and left a poster that said "see you at commencement" on the building's front door.

Kaler issued a statement saying commencement will still go on with increased security measures to ensure the celebrations are centered on the graduates.

The university's commencement events run from May 15 to 19.

The Graduate Student Association at Case recently passed a resolution calling on the university to divest from companies that support the Israeli government and illegal war crimes - something that the students protesters were seeking with the encampment.

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