Police in Washington, D.C., issued five warnings to anti-Israel protesters at George Washington University, threatening arrest if they did not leave the premises. The standoff between law enforcement and demonstrators lasted for hours, with organizers eventually advising protesters to retreat and tone down their rally.
Throughout the protest, police repeatedly announced that protesters were in violation of DC Code 22-3302 for unlawful entry on university property and DC Code 22-1307a for being on the sidewalk or street. Failure to disperse peacefully would result in arrest, the warnings stated.
Despite five audible warnings, protesters continued to shout at the police. Law enforcement, equipped with batons and outnumbering the demonstrators, began advancing towards them in a line. The protesters gradually moved back towards the designated exit zone.
The protest concluded without any major incidents. Notably, the original encampment that had been vandalized the previous week, including the George Washington statue draped in Palestinian attire and subsequently cleaned and cordoned off, was not a focal point during Thursday's demonstration.
