'Autonomous' alumni group occupies University of Chicago building

Ellery Jones/Sun-Times

An "autonomous" group of demonstrators occupied the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics on Friday afternoon, demanding divestment from Israel, before being driven out by police.

Around 5 p.m., a large group of protesters surrounded the building as others occupied it. Shortly after, a group of University of Chicago police officers equipped with riot shields burst into the building and scuffled with protesters.

One was seen pushing protesters away from the front door of the building, located on Woodlawn Avenue near 57th Street. Some protesters were later seen climbing out of a second-story window, followed by police.

University of Chicago spokesperson Jeremy Manier said a group of masked protesters entered the building at around 4:40 p.m. They then attempted to bar the entrance, damaged university property and ignored directives from campus police to clear the way, according to Manier, though he wouldn't specify what damage was done or if university police were investigating.

No arrests were made, and protesters exited the building when police entered, Manier said. The demonstrators dispersed at about 9:30 p.m.

“The University of Chicago is fundamentally committed to upholding the rights of protesters to express a wide range of views,” Manier said in a statement Saturday, echoing a prior one made by another spokesperson Friday. “At the same time, University policies make it clear that protests cannot jeopardize public safety, disrupt the University’s operations or involve the destruction of property.”

UChicago United for Palestine and UChicago Jews for a Free Palestine — who organized the encampment on the university's Main Quadrangle that was cleared by university police and Cook County law enforcement officials early Tuesday morning — denied any involvement in the building occupation, saying it was done by an "autonomous" alumni group.

Social media posts by UChicago United for Palestine declared the Institute of Politics the “Liberated Cashbah of Basel Al-Araj” for the Palestinian activist and writer who died in a gunfight with Israeli police in a raid in 2017.

A representative for the protesters didn't immediately return a request for comment.

The protest took place in the middle of the university's alumni weekend, which runs through Sunday and includes reunions, alumni awards and other events, during which graduates are asked to give back to the school.

When the demonstration began, the university was hosting its "featured event" — a discussion panel on the "role of higher education in society," which brought together former University of Chicago educators and officials to discuss the "vital and evolving role of universities in a time of great change, unique challenges, and unprecedented potential."