By Donald Gilpin

Nineteen days after its start on April 25, the Princeton University Gaza Solidarity Encampment appeared to be preparing to leave Cannon Green on Tuesday, May 14 following a warning sent by Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber the previous evening.

About 40 demonstrators continued to occupy the space in the early afternoon on Tuesday, but signs of decamping included piled up blankets, tarps, and other supplies, as well as barriers surrounding the green with signs stating: “This space is closed in preparation for University events.” About a dozen public safety officials were present around the perimeter of the green, and a number of University facilities workers were hanging electrical cords and lights in the trees.

It is not clear how and when the withdrawal from Cannon Green will be completed. A mid-day Instagram notice from the protesters stated that Eisgruber “failed to let us know how, when, or on what timeline the camp would be cleared,” and the “urgent update” concluded, “Administration and public safety are currently encircling the camp as we deliberate our next steps.”

Protesters talked with administrators several times during the day on Tuesday, but at Town Topics press time uncertainty remained as to what the next steps would be.

In his May 13 message to the Princeton University community, Eisgruber warned that protesters must leave Cannon Green, though he did not set a deadline. He also noted measures the University would take in responding to several of the protesters’ demands.

“We are now letting the protesters know that they need to clear Cannon Green and respect the University’s need for it and other common spaces, so that the University may prepare for and produce end-of-year events. The sit-in makes it impossible to ready the green for Class Day and other events.”

He added, “To continue the sit-in would involve significant and impermissible disruption of University activities. The protesters are of course free to express their views in many other permissible, non-disruptive ways.”

Class Day is scheduled for Monday, May 27, following Reunions on May 23-26, and preceding graduation on Tuesday, May 28.

In responding to one of the Gaza protesters’ demands, for divestment and dissociation from companies involved in Israel’s military and apartheid policies, Eisgruber noted that the Council of the Princeton University Community Resources Committee had received divestment and dissociation requests from the protesting group and that it would be meeting on May 14 for an initial assessment of those requests.

“The Resources Committee will provide an opportunity to the protesting group to present their views,” he wrote. “The Committee will afford the same opportunity to other interested groups, whether they are in favor or opposed to the request.”

In response to demonstrators’ demands that charges and disciplinary action against students who had been arrested be dropped, Eisgruber stated that “the University is exploring offering students arrested for protest-related offenses the option to participate in a ‘restorative justice’ process” in which “the University would work to minimize the impact of the arrest on the participating students.”

He went on to explain, “The restorative justice option would maintain student accountability: it would require students to accept responsibility for violating University policy, promise to avoid future violations, and reconcile with people significantly affected by their actions. At the same time, the University would rapidly conclude the University disciplinary process, making it possible for the students to join Commencement and receive their degrees along with their classmates.”

Eisgruber also emphasized that the University would entertain proposals for academic affiliations with Palestinian scholars, students, and institutions as well as proposals for new curricula in Palestinian studies. He also noted the importance of an affinity space for Palestinian students and the possibility of creating a working group on the experience of Palestinians at Princeton.

In earlier news, the protesters announced on Monday, May 13, that a new cohort of hunger strikers would be replacing the hunger strikers who had fasted for more than a week. “Due to health concerns of the 13 strikers who fasted for nine days, the first hunger strike wave ended, and the second wave has begun,” their message read. “In the tradition of rotary hunger strikes, seven new strikers are indefinitely fasting for a free Palestine.”

On Thursday, May 9, about 50 Princeton High School (PHS) students joined the University’s Gaza Solidarity Encampment for a short period in the afternoon, following a walkout from their Thursday afternoon classes and a procession up Moore Street to the University campus.

Princeton Public Schools Acting Superintendent Kathie Foster noted in an email to parents that “our building monitors and administrators were nearby to ensure students’ safety.”

She went on to state that students would be accountable for their words and actions as “we will investigate today’s incidents through the lens of our PHS Code of Conduct,” and she emphasized, “we are equally committed to using this moment as an opportunity to facilitate a deeper and more empathetic understanding of each other, consistent with our mission to prepare all of our students to be knowledgeable and compassionate citizens of a global society.”

Asma Qureshi, one of the PHS student organizers reported, “When we got to the encampment, it was beautiful to see different students either participating in art projects, sitting with their peers, or having a discussion with people at the encampment about Palestine. Our goal was, and is always, peace, and I think our walkout truly reflected that.”

Reflecting on her experience, another PHS student organizer, Zia Hughes, added, “I will not cease to speak out on injustice when I see it. And I know there will always be others standing with me.”