After about one week of protests and refusal to comply with the University of Tennessee-Knoxville’s (UTK) rules and flouting warnings of violating state law, an anti-Israel protest group on campus has had the Student Union Cumberland Plaza designated for it by the school itself.
On May 1, a group of protesters called the “People’s School for Gaza,” which is not a student organization registered with UTK, began demonstrating on campus after a vigil held by the school’s official chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, The Tennessee Star previously reported.
The People’s School for Gaza has continued protesting at UTK on and off since then, posting updates with each demonstration on its Instagram page.
On the evening of May 2, the group of demonstrators was warned before nine individuals were arrested by the University of Tennessee Police Department (UTPD). The individuals were arrested for not following campus event rules after being issued repeated warnings, UTPD said in a statement WBIR at the time.
The following evening, the demonstrators returned to campus and were told by UTK Vice Chancellor for Student Life Frank Cuevas that he was giving them a “final administrative warning for today,” telling them that “law enforcement will be responding to your conduct and enforcing all applicable laws,” and reminding them that camping on state property is a felony under state law punishable by up to six years in prison and up to a $3,000 fine, The Daily Beacon reported.
The demonstrators reportedly stayed in place until 11:15 p.m. ET, 75 minutes past the deadline given in the camping statute referenced by Cuevas, and no law enforcement arrived.
Now, as demonstrations by the People’s School for Gaza continue, UTK has designated the Student Union Cumberland Plaza for the group’s use.
“Under the university’s Policy’s Affirming Principles of Free Speech for Students and Faculty and ability to implement time, place and manner restrictions, we are designating the space that the unaffiliated group ‘People’s School for Gaza’ has chosen to use over the past several days in non-compliance with university policy — the Student Union Cumberland Plaza — for your group’s free expression activity,” reads a newly placed on-campus sign posted by UTK, as reported by The Daily Beacon. “It is available to you from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Saturday, May 11, subject to further notice from the university.”
“Other policies and laws, such as laws prohibiting camping and trespass, will continue to be enforced,” the sign said.
UTK Vice Chancellor for Communications Tisha Benton reportedly told The Knoxville News Sentinel that the university would evaluate its time, place, and manner restrictions before Saturday, when UTK’s Student Union Cumberland Plaza designation for the protesters will supposedly end.
Knox News also reported that Saturday is not a hard deadline and “is not meant to signify the university will try to cut off all demonstrations at all times and places after that date.”
UTK’s rules state that its outdoor spaces must be reserved with the school before being used for an event. However, the rules make a provision for “spontaneous outdoor assemblies.”
The People’s School for Gaza has called its events “spontaneous study sessions,” according to its Instagram, but these events have lasted for several hours.
The Star has inquired of UTK why no law enforcement appeared the night of May 3 after protesters were warned, why the school decided to designate a space for the anti-Israel protesters despite repeatedly disregarding UTK’s rules, and if UTK will call on law enforcement to enforce applicable law if demonstrators decide to camp on school property.
UTK did not respond by press time.
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Matthew Giffin is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Matthew on X/Twitter.
Photo “UTK Gaza Protest” by peoplesschoolforgaza.
When has appeasement ever solved the root cause problem?
Time for Randy Boyd to step it up. Especially non-students.