George Washington University’s President Ellen Granberg has requested aid from the Metropolitan Police Department in response to increasingly violent protests on campus, where demonstrators have simulated violent acts against university officials.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Late Sunday night, George Washington University President Ellen Granberg issued a call for assistance from Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) amid ongoing and intensifying anti-Israel protests on campus. Granberg released a statement condemning the escalation of the encampment, which she described as illegal and potentially dangerous.
According to Granberg, the university is ill-equipped to handle the unprecedented situation without law enforcement support. “The demonstration, like many around the country, has grown into what can only be classified as an illegal and potentially dangerous occupation of GW property,” Granberg stated. This marks the first public appeal for MPD’s involvement in managing the protest.
The situation at GW escalated over the weekend when a social media video depicted a mock “People’s Tribunal” by protesters, where they acted out sentencing GW’s senior officials, including African American Provost Christopher Alan Bracey, to death. The protesters’ actions included chants and simulated verdicts that called for extreme violence against the officials.
At the George Washington University Gaza Solidarity Encampment today, the protesters held a "People's Tribunal" where they put President Ellen Granberg, Provost Christopher Bracey, the Board of Trustees, @GWPolice, and many others on trial.
Is it normal for students to want to… pic.twitter.com/M8F543q0MV
— Stu (@thestustustudio) May 3, 2024
Granberg’s statement also highlighted the concern that the protest has been co-opted by external actors not affiliated with the GW community, thereby exacerbating tensions and diverting the demonstration from its original intent.
Amidst these developments, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser and the MPD have maintained a cautious stance. Bowser’s office emphasized ongoing monitoring and support for maintaining public order without directly engaging in the campus situation.
The university community and local authorities are bracing for further developments as national attention turns towards the handling of these protests, with MPD Chief Pamela Smith scheduled to address the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability regarding the response to the encampment. This session aims to assess the law enforcement strategies and safety measures in place in light of the heightened tensions at George Washington University.
