NEW ORLEANS — A few hundred demonstrators marched Uptown from Freret to St. Charles Avenue in protest of the war in Gaza before getting into a skirmish with police from several different jurisdictions as some in the group tried to pitch tents on the Tulane campus.
Around 9:30 a.m., Tulane released a statement saying the protest was unregistered and unsanctioned by the University. According to Tulane University, 40 law enforcement officers, including the Tulane Police Department and mounted police, were on hand before the Protest.
Six protestors have been arrested so far and refuse to identify themselves. Their charges include trespassing, battery on an officer and resisting arrest.
The protesters, largely believed to be students from Tulane and Loyola, got into a scuffle with police and locked arms on the front of the campus while lined up face-to-face with officers from the NOPD, Tulane University, and Loyola University police forces.
There was a brief series of scuffles and police seemed to arrest or at least detain some protesters.
Tulane University sent a text to students asking that Gibson Hall, Dinwiddie Hall and Tilton Memorial be evacuated "due to police activity related to the protest in front of Gibson Hall. Classes in Gibson, Dinwiddie and Tilton are cancelled."
Following the skirmish over tents, protesters started chanting pro-Palestine slogans while officers largely watched with both sides staying to themselves.
Police had largely followed the protesters in an effort to keep peace and prevent traffic incidents at Uptown.
Around 9:30 a.m., Tulane released a statement saying the protest, which was unregistered and unsanctioned by the University, stormed university property and erected tents on the edge of the lawn in front of Gibson Hall near the sidewalk.
Once the protesters got in front of Tulane University, the students seemingly tried to put down tents, and that's when police appeared. Students then locked arms in defiance of police, and there was a standoff between the two.
The protest near the Uptown campuses is in support of Palestine and tracks with protests on other college campuses around the country. Those protests have had more tent cities and encampments, which haven't arisen locally to this point.
The action is the latest in a series of actions in support of Palestine in the city. On Sunday, a few dozen protesters set up an encampment in Jackson Square that led to a skirmish with police when the protesters refused to leave at the park's normal closing hour of 7 p.m.
WWL Louisiana has a crew on the scene and will update the story as more information becomes available.
Here is the full statement from Tulane University:
Dear Tulane Community:
Today, participants in a protest that was unregistered and unsanctioned by Tulane University stormed university property and erected tents on the edge of the lawn in front of Gibson Hall near the sidewalk. After warning protestors not to enter Tulane property, TUPD officers began arresting individuals and clearing tents away. This is an ongoing situation.
We had more than 40 law enforcement officers on hand before the protest, including TUPD and mounted police. Officers arrested six protestors thus far, who are refusing to identify themselves. Offenses include trespassing, battery on an officer and resisting arrest. We are working with local law enforcement and government officials to resolve the situation. The safety and well-being of the members of the Tulane community is our top priority.
We ask members of the Tulane community to continue avoiding the area.
We fundamentally respect the right to protest. Free speech is foundational to our society and a bedrock tenet of universities. However, breaking the law, hate speech, harassment, intimidation, trespassing, violence and other criminal acts will not be tolerated. Resources are also available to any Tulane community member affected by this troubling incident. Students seeking help can call 504-920-9900. Employees can call 1-800-624-5544.