SALT LAKE CITY — One day after on-campus protests led to the arrest of 19 pro-Palestinian supporters, University of Utah officials say the same rules will be in place Tuesday night should violations occur.
Video below shows protesters gathering outside the Salt Lake County Jail:
Another protest was held at Presidents Circle on Tuesday evening. But this time, organizers told FOX 13 News that they do not intend to camp.
Shortly before 7 p.m., nearly all the protesters left the campus to move the protest to the Salt Lake County Jail, where they say one of the organizers was being held after being arrested Tuesday afternoon before the rally began.
A university spokesperson confirmed that one person was identified and arrested at Tuesday afternoon's gathering for alleged offenses committed the night before.
Protesters outside the jail chanted: "Let him go!" They remained there until about 8:30 p.m., when demonstrators began leaving. Some were still there later into the night, but most left and the active chanting ended.
University officials said they handed out fliers to those protesting Tuesday:
The fliers state that if any "unlawful occupancy" occurs during the protest, then the university "will enforce the law." They listed the following offenses that would be considered unlawful during a protest:
- Intentionally blocking entrances, stairwells, or corridors
- Intentionally obstructing or seriously impairing sponsored/authorized activities
- Intruding upon a private office or entering a room/meeting space without approval (trespass)
- Being disruptive immediately outside of rooms occupied for classes, study, and research
- Using signs indoors, supported by standards or sticks
- Intentionally creating a noise disturbance that interferes with sponsored/authorized activities
- Violence or threats of violence against people or property
- Using amplified sound or music without a proper permit
- Camping on University of Utah property
University spokesperson Chris Nelson reiterated that school officials will hold the line against having tents or any permanent structure on campus.
Nearly 24 hours after Monday's protest turned from peaceful to chaotic, Nelson added that the intervention that took place by law enforcement was not about the protest issue itself, but with violating state administrative law and university rules against camping.
Of the 19 people arrested following Monday's incident, only four were University of Utah students.
What started peacefully descended into chaos around 11 p.m. when protesters were asked to take down their encampment of nearly two dozen tents. Police pushed crowds back until everyone who was part of the protest had left.
Nelson said some university faculty members had been interacting with protest leaders and believed an agreement had been reached that would see the tents come down at 9 p.m. He said that in exchange for the tents coming down, a "listening session" would have been held Tuesday.
Some wonder if the policies enforced Monday differ than those in place when fans set up tents on campus ahead of football games and events such as ESPN bringing their GameDay program to Salt Lake City.
"That is a sanctioned university event with a limited time and so again, they had the approval of the university, there was a time limit, they had agreed to follow certain rules, they had applied for permits, so that's the main difference," explained Nelson.
The protests come days before the University of Utah's commencement ceremonies at the Huntsman Center. Those attending the graduation events should expect to see an additional police and security presence to make sure there are no disruptions.
