Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) has called for the anti-Israel encampment at the University of Pennsylvania to be disbanded.
Shapiro was speaking at an event in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, when he called for the encampment to close. He claimed the protesters had violated laws and created safety concerns. According to local media reports, Shapiro said the situation at Penn had escalated to a point where it was now “unstable” and “unacceptable.”
“Over the last 24 hours at the University of Pennsylvania, the situation has gotten even more unstable and out of control, more rules have been violated,” Shapiro said.
According to reports, in addition to defying the university’s orders to disband over a week ago, protesters have been particularly unruly recently. Six student protesters were placed on “mandatory temporary leaves of absence,” WPVI reported.
The university’s famous statue of Benjamin Franklin, the founder of the school, was vandalized and defaced for at least the second time since the encampment formed, according to WPVI.
“All students should feel safe when they’re on campus,” Shapiro said. “All students have a legal right to feel safe on campus, and the University of Pennsylvania has an obligation to their safety. It is past time for the university to act, to address this, to disband the encampment and to restore order and safety on campus.”
The governor’s statements are in stark contrast to comments he made last week regarding the protest. When asked if he felt the protesters and demonstration at the University of Pennsylvania should be cleared, Shapiro avoided responding, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. He said it was a decision for the university to make.
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“I don’t think it’s my judgment on that that matters,” Shapiro said at that time. “I think it’s the university’s judgment that matters. They’re closer to it, they see it.”
Penn’s graduation ceremony, slated for May 20, will be held under heightened security measures. The university has announced a comprehensive plan to protect students and their families from potential confrontations with the encampment’s inhabitants, ensuring a safe and peaceful event.
