Police Break Up Pro-Palestinian Barricades At VCU, Arrests Are Made

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Protester Sings Learn ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Ceasefire Now’

The protest outdoors the college at VCU’s James Cabell Library started earlier within the day on Monday, April 29, at the side of a variety of different comparable protests throughout the nation.

Campus protesters carried indicators demanding “Free Palestine” and “Ceasefire Now,” amongst different slogans.

According to Norfolk’s 8 Information, their “staff members on the bottom witnessed VCU Police in riot gear create a police line round 8:30 p.m., exiting from a bus that had been staged close to the protest’s encampment. Quickly after, a VCU alert was despatched out calling the protest ‘violent’ and an illegal meeting was declared. Police then moved in on the protestors, working to interrupt aside their line. A few of them had been seen carrying gasoline masks.”

Their reporters and workers “on the bottom stated they noticed a whole bunch of officers transferring in, taking down the barricade by pressure. Virginia State Police deputies had been seen amongst them.”

Many movies had been taken of the chaos the place cops will be seen forcing protestors to the bottom and utilizing zip ties to bind their palms.

Protesters hurled water bottles and different missiles on the officers as effectively, in line with the video.

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Implementing Richmond Metropolis Code

In response to our staff members, some protestors had been seen tossing water bottles at officers. Protesters raised tents and established what they known as their ‘Liberation Zone’ within the early night.

Earlier than police arrived, protestors donned masks and shaped a line round their encampment. They are often seen utilizing palettes to create their barricade.

VCU is a state college which implies its property is public. Richmond’s Metropolis Code says that folks can’t “camp, lay or sleep on, close to or about any public lands or buildings belonging to or below management of town after 11 p.m.” in the event that they don’t have particular permission.

On Monday, it seems Richmond regulation enforcement meant to implement that code.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin weighed in on the protests throughout the commonwealth as effectively, saying, “Throughout the Commonwealth we’ve seen pupil and vital non-student contributors, throw projectiles at regulation enforcement, violate the insurance policies of our schools and universities, impede and disrupt pupil life and endanger public security.”

Within the early morning hours Youngking additionally gave his remaining verdict: “After repeated warnings and refusal to disperse, regulation enforcement should shield Virginians. My administration will proceed to completely help campus, native and state regulation enforcement and college management to maintain our campuses secure.”