PORTLAND, Ore. — A group of pro-Palestinian protesters who are occupying Portland State University's library said they will leave only if their demands are met. PSU and Portland police have asked them to leave peacefully before officers get involved. The university closed campus on Tuesday, citing the library occupation, and the closure will extend until Wednesday, PSU said Tuesday evening.
"PSU Campus will be CLOSED Wednesday 5/1 due to ongoing incident at library. Check your email or other registered modes for information," PSU said on social media.
In a statement from the university's president Ann Cudd on Tuesday, she urged faculty, staff and students to stay off campus until further notice. She said security measures are in place at PSU buildings, including limited or no card access.
Cudd asked all students involved in the occupation to leave the library.
"I have supported the right to peaceful protest. And I am willing to meet with students to hear them out," Cudd said. "However, these unlawful acts cannot continue. Our community also has the right to continue to live, work, and study in peace and safety, without harassment and intimidation."
KGW spoke to one PSU student who is protesting at the library. She did not provide her name and did not want to show her face on camera.
"We are staying until our demands are met," she said Tuesday morning.
The pro-Palestinian protesters — made up of PSU students, faculty and staff — have called on the university to cut ties with Boeing, which has reportedly supplied military hardware to Israel. PSU said it would pause accepting financial gifts from the aerospace company. Boeing donated $150,000 to PSU to name a classroom, and gives about $28,000 a year for scholarships, the university newspaper, PSU Vanguard, reported.
The group is also demanding that the university call for an immediate ceasefire, eliminate public safety officers and stop selling Israeli products on campus.
Portland police estimate that 50 to 75 people broke into the library on Monday.
"We worked to comply with their demands initially. However, when we realized they were not willing to work with us, we were left with no option but to escalate," the PSU student said.
Protests had been happening on the PSU campus for several days. A peaceful rally Monday ended with a group breaking into the library and barricading themselves inside.
Damage to the library
The PSU student told KGW that a group not associated with them did some damage inside the library, but she did not go into further detail.
"I started sobbing and yelled at them and they were removed immediately. Nothing significant was damaged, but we have a steadfast resolution that nothing else will be damaged," she said. "Nothing that was damaged will compromise students' access to resources. No books have been touched, nothing has been moved."
KGW has not been able to independently verify her statement.
Outside the building, a KGW reporter saw a broken window on the inside of the library. Multiple windows and walls outside the library have been spray-painted.
"That can be taken off with power wash," the PSU student said. "I would argue that spray paint pales in comparison to people's lives."
Photos taken Wednesday confirmed the reports of damage inside the PSU library, including shattered panes of glass, graffiti and the use of tables and chairs as makeshift barricades throughout the building.
During a news conference with Portland police late Monday night, PSU President Ann Cudd acknowledged that while many people feel they can't ignore the situation in Gaza, she does not condone breaking and entering.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said the bureau is working with university leadership on a plan to try to deescalate and resolve the situation, in hopes of no arrests or use of force. Day said Monday night that there is no timeline for when police plan to enter the library to remove the protesters.
The protest at PSU is one of multiple demonstrations against the war in Gaza that have been going on at college campuses around the U.S.
Greater Portland Hillel reacts to Portland State library occupation
Hannah Sherman is the executive director of Greater Portland Hillel. The organization works on six Portland-area campuses and provides spaces for Jewish students to gather and "avenues for students to explore their Jewish journeys in college," Sherman said.
"It is very scary to be Jewish on campus right now," she said. "Students want to hide their identity. They don't want to be known as Jewish."
She said Greater Portland Hillel is mainly focused currently on providing safe spaces for Jewish students.
"Jewish students do not feel safe coming to campus right now. Especially at Portland State University where class had to be canceled today because students have taken over the library," Sherman said. "It’s midterms time for students right now at Portland State. They’re just trying to be able to study, be able to access campus spaces."
Sherman added that the organization gathered in a building a few blocks away from the encampment on Monday to provide a space for students to process how they are feeling and to find support.
"All of our universities need to be a space where students, regardless of what your background is, you can come and learn freely on campus. Our Jewish students feel intimidated right now," she said.