On Thursday, May 9, students at the University of Denver were alerted via Instagram of a Palestine solidarity rally at DU’s campus that would begin at 11 a.m. spearheaded by DU for Palestine (DU4Palestine). Quickly, however, students began setting up tents and tarps to create an encampment.
The encampment at DU commenced almost two weeks after the start of a similar, but larger, encampment at the Auraria campus in downtown Denver, a subject of extensive coverage by various Denver news outlets. Six of the protestors were arrested at MSU’s campus last Tuesday after mounting a sit-in inside the University’s Advanced Manufacturing Sciences Institute.
Before launching an encampment on campus, DU for Palestine aimed to prioritize student safety. Operating within the framework of a private institution posed numerous challenges for the student organization, as certain rights are not automatically guaranteed. Additionally, organizers emphasized the importance of working closely with other student affinity groups throughout the university to ensure the inclusion of diverse perspectives and voices.
The organization Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP) from Boulder and Denver universities also attended the encampment. They helped celebrate Shabat on Friday evening.
One of the DU encampment organizers, Ash Reid, shared her thoughts on the importance of the encampment’s values.
“We are peaceful here. If anyone wants to interact with our camp or be a part of camp, we expect nonviolence. That is what we will lead with at all times. That is our value and we expect others to have the same decency,” said Reid.
The encampment cultivates an atmosphere of peaceful unity and community-building. A substantial portion of the supplies for the encampment have been contributed by individuals within the DU community and from the broader local community. Among the donations are tents, blankets and provisions such as food and water.
When asked how long the encampment would last, the organizers agreed that their ‘liberated zone’ would continue as long as needed for all goals to be met. Two of those goals include the disclosure of investments to promote transparency among the institution and students, and divestment from companies involved in occupations. A full list can be found on DU4Palestine’s Instagram.
Hannah Meisels, another organizer, offered her perspective on the importance of encampments from the standpoint of being a Jewish student.
“One of the biggest strengths from folks who are doing these encampments is the focus on teaching and community-building, which is reflected here right now. I think as much as possible, folks try not to engage with counter-protestors because so much of that is aimed at trying to make us look bad and trying to make this look dangerous in the ways that it’s been portrayed in the media. For me, seeing what’s happening right now is way more of a reflection of what I’ve seen at other encampments which is neglected by the media,” said Meisels.
She also emphasized the peaceful solidarity and unity within the community, noting its large role in fostering safety and driving change.
“The strength of this community will really be an asset in keeping things safe and as peaceful as possible. I see a lot of persistence and intentionality with how folks have approached this. I think values are going to guide how things go as well as consistency in making sure that this is going to be here until demands are met,” said Meisels.
Opposite the encampment is a row of tables positioned in the middle of barriers, serving as a gathering point for counter-protestors to voice their perspectives and stand together. At the center of the arrangement on Thursday, sat Rabbi Yossi, who has been at DU for two decades. Tables and chairs flanked both sides, with Rabbi Yossi extending an open invitation for any encampment participant or community member to join him in dialogue. He offered Babka cake, a Jewish-American specialty, to students and often was able to break up tense moments in conversation with laughter.
Rabbi Yossi requested having tables instead of barriers. The reasoning behind it was simple: for community.
“Separating our community is toxic. Bringing our community together is healing. This is my table of peace,” said Rabbi Yossi.
Rabbi Yossi said that some members of his community had felt ‘othered’ by the encampment’s signage. In response, he decided to make his presence at the heart of the encampment known to show members of the Jewish community at DU that the encampment poses no threat to them.
“I’m going to have parents call me and say it’s not safe for my kid. I’m going to say, yes it is. I’m sitting here 10 feet away. I could be sitting right in the middle of it, and I’d be safe,” said Rabbi Yossi.
Nearby, other students engaged in their own conversations, fostering constructive discourse that frequently turned emotional for many.
When asked what message Rabbi Yossi had for the encampment, he replied, “Communicate better […] Would they have had the courtesy of reaching out to Lily [Hillel organizer] and saying what is this solidarity message that the University of Denver student body can come out with that could work for all communities? A prayerful peace,” said Rabbi Yossi.
Madeline Courchesne, a participant in the student encampment, was among the first to join. She witnessed the arrival of counter-protestors in the encampment, resulting in fear and unease among supporters. Despite this, the sense of community and solidarity remained. The foundational principle during the encampment, both at DU and nationwide, has been, “We Keep Us Safe.”
“I felt threatened. The things about America and loving the United States, and if we don’t like it we should leave, to me felt very coded. I think there’s a certain tone to that, which is very threatening. It’s agitating for sure, but I feel a lot better now. It’s a lingering presence, but we’re all surrounded by one another,” said Courchesne.
As the encampment continues, DU4Palestine has integrated numerous training sessions and informative presentations, one of which was led by Jim Wagenlander, a leader from the Woodstock West encampment. Community backing has been emphasized, notably with the Native Student Alliance (NSA) bestowing a blessing upon the encampment on its inaugural night. Informational sessions cover various topics, including an overview of the encampment’s demands, CPR and first aid instruction. Additionally, the organization has offered guidance to students on how to navigate potential interactions with law enforcement and conflict resolution strategies.
“We keep each other safe. Our community keeps each other safe. That is what mutual aid is about; we support one another. This encampment is for Palestine, and that is what we will always center. In doing camp, one of the points is to create a world we want to see, and so part of that world that we want to see with liberation (no more bombings) is a camp that takes care of one another,” said Reid.
Students and community members are driven by different motivations to participate in the encampment. While each person may have their own reasons, such as a commitment to social justice or deeply-held values, they all unite under a common goal. For Courchesne, her participation is not only about finding solidarity with like-minded peers, but also about recognizing and empathizing with the suffering endured by those affected in the Middle East.
Of course, many students attended as spectators, some considered their own identities in relation to what was happening.
“This makes me want to be more involved in Judaism or my identity more because it’s talked about more than ever. I’ve never felt like my identity has played a bigger part in politics since I was born,” said Dylan Seltzer, a junior at DU.
Throughout the initial weekend, community support and student engagement have remained steadfast. As time progresses, DU4Palestine continues to encourage student participation. With each passing day, students increasingly demonstrated heightened motivation and determination.
“It feels really good. Very exciting but also very scary. We’re at a private institution, so we don’t have the same protections that public institutions do. We’re very aware of the environment on campus that is unwelcoming to different marginalized communities and opinions … It does feel brave and exciting to know that we’re doing something actionable for Palestine,” said Courchesne.
On Thursday afternoon, Chancellor Jeremy Heafner came out to observe the encampment momentarily, mere minutes after sending an email entailing protest policies and guidelines. The Chancellor declined to comment.
That same day, Provost Mary Clark was present at the encampment handing out paper copies of the protest guidelines and interacting with the community. Some of those guidelines included that only DU community members can participate and must carry their DU ID’s at all times.
“I’m a big believer in the importance of free expression and dialogue across differences. One of the things I enjoy most is what I see going on here at these tables, which is the dialogue across different experiences and likely different perspectives,” said Clark on Thursday.
Later, on Instagram, DU4Palestine would issue a “response” to the university’s demands. They declared they did not intend to show university officials any identification if prompted.
“Occupants of the zone are not required to prove their legitimacy to be on stolen land and therefore reject ID checks,” said DU4Palestine on Instagram, referring to how both DU and the city of Denver reside on the traditional territories of the Hinonoeino (Arapaho), Tsitsista (Cheyenne), and Nunt’zi (Ute) tribes.
“We recognize that the University of Denver’s concern for safety is directly contradicted in its investment in the genocide of Palestinians,” continued DU4Palestine on Instagram.
On Monday the university sent an email to the student body urging the protesters to show their IDs when prompted so the university can “continue promoting a safe environment for both participants and all students, faculty and staff.”
Since Thursday, the Office of the Chancellor has been sending emails to the student body, reaffirming the university’s support for free expression while also updating the community on recent developments.
On Friday, the Chancellor’s Office met with counter-protestors to address any questions and concerns. On Saturday, encampment leaders accepted the Chancellor’s invitation to meet with him and administrators. This gathering took place on Sunday, with DU4Palestine organizing a press conference shortly after. The press conference was posted on the organization’s Instagram.
DU continues to endorse its students’ right to protest, but will not tolerate antisemitism or discrimination.
