Drexel students will start returning to class as pro-Palestinian protesters remain on campus
PHILADELPHIA - An encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters is still in place on the campus of Drexel University Monday night, despite calls from the university's president to disband.
The protests caused all students to go virtual to start off the week, but many are set to return to the classroom on Tuesday.
"I have determined that we have sufficient security in place to begin a phased return to normal operations. Tomorrow, labs, studio classes and simulation classes will return to being in-person, while lecture classes will remain virtual," President John Fry said in a statement.
While addressing the encampment, the president recognized the right for peaceful protest, but said the university reserves the right to impose restrictions when it becomes "disruptive, threatening, and unsafe," calling for its disbandment a second time.
"It has become increasingly clear that encampment protesters have created a hostile, confrontational environment by subjecting passersby to antisemitic speech and by issuing several "demands" that have unacceptably targeted individual members of our faculty and professional staff, a member of our Real Estate Advisory Committee, and two Jewish campus organizations (Hillel and Chabad)."
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During a visit to Drexel's campus Monday night, FOX 29's Steve Keeley asked DA Larry Krasner about another encampment just blocks away at University of Pennsylvania last week.
"I spent three hours of my weekend in the office looking at bodyworn camera, looking at documents that were produced by law enforcement, and approving charges where I thought appropriate," Krasner said.
The district attorney said he has declined to charge four of the seven people arrested Friday night, with the remaining three charged with misdemeanors.
"These decisions are not final," Krasner said. "We are actually waiting on significant information, including necessary essential bodyworn cameras we don't expect to be available until after Thursday."