Encampments at UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee quiet Thursday: Live updates

Kelly Meyerhofer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Despite a violent clash with police in Madison on Wednesday, pro-Palestinian encampments continued Thursday at both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and at UW-Milwaukee.

Hundreds of people, mostly students, are calling for the universities to divest from companies with ties to Israel. The standoff between student protesters and college administrators over tents mirrors a national conflict that is growing increasingly confrontational.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have vowed to remain for as long as it takes until schools meet their demands. University leaders are balancing students’ right to protest with a desire to minimize disruptions to their campuses and enforce a state rule banning encampments.

Follow our live coverage on the fourth day of protests at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee. See our coverage from days one and two and day three.

10:30 a.m.: President Biden weighs in on campus protests across the country

Before traveling to North Carolina Thursday morning, President Joe Biden delivered brief, unscheduled remarks on the nationwide protests.

Biden said peaceful protests are protected in America, but violent protests are not. He said destroying property, trespassing, vandalism and forcing the cancelation of classes and graduations are not peaceful protests.

"Threatening people, intimidating people, instilling fear in people is not peaceful protest," Biden said. "Dissent is essential to democracy. But dissent must never lead to disorder, or to denying the rights of others so our students can finish the semester and their college education."

Biden added there should be no place in America for antisemitism against Jewish students or hate speech or violence against Palestinian Americans and Arab Americans.

He answered two questions at the end, saying he would not reconsider his policy in the region because of the protests and did not think the National Guard should intervene in the protests.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on the protests at a rally in Waukesha yesterday, praising the police response at Columbia University and urging college presidents to shut down encampments.

8 a.m.: Encampments at both UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee are quiet this morning

Tents are set up as people protest the Israel-Hamas war Thursday, May 2, 2024, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Student protesters around the country have demanded colleges cut financial ties to Israel. The latest demonstrations show growing discontent over their schools’ responses to the Israeli-Hamas war.
Tents are set up as people protest the Israel-Hamas war Thursday, May 2, 2024, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Student protesters around the country have demanded colleges cut financial ties to Israel. The latest demonstrations show growing discontent over their schools’ responses to the Israeli-Hamas war.

For UWM, it was a continuation of the past three days since pro-Palestinian protesters pitched tents.

For UW-Madison, it was in stark contrast to the scene 24 hours ago when police broke up the unlawful but peaceful encampment.

The Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at UW-Madison posted a full schedule for the day on social media. Activities include a breakfast rally, teach-ins on various topics throughout the day and dabke, a traditional Palestinian folk dance.

Scattered showers and potential storms are in the forecast for Thursday afternoon and evening.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Protests at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee go to fourth day: Live updates

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