Pro-Palestinian protestors break down encampment on Tufts campus

Protestors at the Pro-Palestine encampment at Tufts University’s Medford campus disassembled the demonstration Friday night.

The “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” had stood since April 7 but came down Friday after negotiations with the university to cut ties with Israel broke down, Students for Justice in Palestine at Tufts posted on Instagram. The student group did not offer specifics regarding why the encampment ceased.

“The administration offered our Gaza Solidarity Encampment a bad-faith deal that fails to end the university’s complicity in the ongoing genocide in Palestine. The administration even refused to comply with our demand to extend amnesty to students involved in the Gaza Solidarity Encampment and recent protests for divestment. We would also like to announce that simultaneously, we have taken down the encampment. This is not related to the negotiations,” the organization wrote.

Tufts executive director of public relations Patrick Collins told Boston 25 News the school was pleased that the demonstration on Academic Quad had stopped but confirmed it was not as a result of an agreement with the university.

Earlier this week, more than 250 Tufts University students threatened to boycott the school’s upcoming commencement on May 19 amid pro-Palestinian protests on the Medford campus and across the nation.

In an open letter addressed to Tufts President Sunil Kumar, more than 250 members of the graduating class have pledged to boycott commencement if the university employs “police violence,” sweeps the encampment or arrests students.

The university also announced they would issue a no-trespass order to the protesters.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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