University Of Chicago Professor Denounces Police Raid On Protest

A pro-Palestinian protester leads chants at the university's police as they are kept from the university's quad while the student encampment is dismantled at the University of Chicago, on Tuesday, May

An assistant professor of sociology at the University of Chicago, Eman Abdelhadi, criticized the recent police raid on an anti-Israel encampment on campus. The raid took place early Tuesday, prompting Abdelhadi to denounce it as an act of 'terror.'

Abdelhadi had shown support for the protest by speaking at a press conference the day before the raid. She expressed her disapproval of the tactics used during the raid, stating that the police waited for the protesters to fall asleep before dismantling their tents. She condemned the University of Chicago for its role in the incident.

Video footage shared by Abdelhadi captured the police tearing down tents and removing signage from the encampment, leading her to lament the destruction of what she described as a 'beautiful space.'

She expressed disapproval of the police waiting for protesters to sleep before dismantling tents.

Abdelhadi condemned police tactics during the raid.

Abdelhadi captured video footage of police tearing down tents and removing signage.

In response to the criticism, University President Paul Alivisatos explained that the decision to involve the police was made after unsuccessful negotiations with the protesters. Alivisatos stated that the protesters had presented demands that were deemed 'intractable and inflexible,' and not in line with the university's commitment to institutional neutrality.

Abdelhadi further criticized the university's proposed 'deal' with the students, pointing out that it did not mention 'Palestine' or 'Palestinian' despite the context of the protest.