The Dismantling of the Encampment in Photos

Photo Courtesy of Zack Kreines
Photo Courtesy of Zack Kreines

The encampment, erected by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and their supporters, seen from Kohlberg courtyard.

Photo Courtesy of James Shelton

Students hold up banners on Wednesday afternoon calling for the Swarthmore administration to divest from Cisco, a network hardware manufacturer used by the college that also services the Israeli military.

Photo Courtesy of James Shelton

Graffiti on the “Big Chair,” which was carried away from the encampment by a front-end loader.

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Photo Courtesy of James Shelton

Members of Public Safety and other college staff remove the vandalized “Big Chair” from the encampment on Thursday morning.

Photo Courtesy of Zack Kreines

Police cars line up by Trotter Lawn, just before police begin arrests on Saturday morning.

Photo Courtesy of Zack Kreines

Police officers assemble near Trotter Lawn, preparing to enter the encampment.

Photo Courtesy of Zack Kreines

Faculty observers watch and record as police and Swarthmore Public Safety address the protesters.

Photo Courtesy of Zack Kreines

Police enter the encampment, where protesters sit in a circle with their arms interlocked and faces covered.

Police restrain protesters and remove them from the encampment, one by one.

Photo Courtesy of Zack Kreines

Banners, tents, and wood pallets from the encampment are loaded onto trucks by police and campus workers and removed from Trotter Lawn. The encampment was completely dismantled by 8:50 a.m.

Photo Courtesy of Swarthmore SJP Instagram

Photos posted to SJP’s Instagram show protestors’ injuries, which they claim resulted from the police’s methods of restraint and removal.

Below are additional photographs of the encampment and subsequent police response, taken between Wednesday, April 30 and Saturday, May 3.

Correction: The headline of this article was changed from “The Encampment in Photos” to “The Dismantling of the Encampment in Photos” to better reflect the photographs depicted.

4 Comments Leave a Reply

  1. It’s misleading to call this “the encampment in photos” when it’s more accurately “Swarthmore College working to destroy the encampment in photos”. It’s worth noting that the encampment had been a place for community and political education before the school decided to tear it apart. Where are the photos of the reading circles and teach ins? People sharing meals? The rally outside the encampment to support those inside it? People sleeping and waking up in peace? As the school works to demonize students protesting genocide, never forget where the violence lies– in the imperialist, capitalist institution that inflicted the power of the state on its students.

    • This is so important! There were reading circles, poetry readings, a community library, and other community building and educational events at the encampment. In fact, the very point of the Hossam Shabat Liberated Zone was to bring the community together and foster political education. It is critical that this key aspect of the encampment— which was swiftly demonized and repressed by the institution that fears an educated, engaged, and unified student base— is highlighted!

    • Hi Connie, this is Rafi Karpowitz, one of the authors of the article. This is a good point, and I’ve changed the title to more accurately reflect the scenes depicted. In the slideshow at the end of the article there are also some photos showing the life at the encampment before it was dismantled.

  2. So much hatred in the graffiti. It’s shameful when a social justice peace movement devolves into ignorant hatred and glorification of violence.

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