UW System President Rothman says encampments are illegal and 'ultimately will be gone'

Leaders at the University of Wisconsin-Madison said campus police will not clear the encampment, as they did Wednesday, as long as "productive discussions" with student protest organizers continue.

Hundreds of people, mostly students, are calling for UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee to divest from companies with ties to Israel. The standoff between student protesters and college administrators over tents mirrors a national conflict that is growing increasingly confrontational.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have vowed to remain for as long as it takes until schools meet their demands. University leaders are balancing students’ right to protest with a desire to minimize disruptions to their campuses and enforce a state rule banning encampments.

Follow our live coverage of the protests at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee as they near the one-week mark. See our coverage from days one and two, day three and four.

11:00 a.m. Protesters and administration haven't met yet Sunday, discussion planned to "escalate" demands to university

The UW-Madison encampment was quiet Sunday morning, with no police in sight and students eating breakfast near the food tent. About 50 tents were on Library Mall, more than the earlier days of the protest before police removed them and protesters put them back up.

An organizer told media that protestors had not met with administration since yesterday, and that the university was working to schedule another meeting.

Organizers planned to meet Sunday evening for a discussion with as many people as possible to "strategize and build collective consensus on escalation tactics to move forward our demands with the university."

Administrators and UW System President Jay Rothman have said in the last two days that at least one student demand is off the table: removing university police departments from campus.

Elsewhere on Library Mall, 16 red and pink dresses were hung on rope between trees for Red Dress Day, which is typically recognized on May 5 in Canada to raise awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous women. The display did not appear affiliated with the encampment.

More: Rally at Wisconsin Capitol calls for end to 'epidemic' of violence against Indigenous women, girls

9:45 a.m. UW System President Rothman says encampments are illegal and "ultimately will be gone"

In a pre-taped Sunday morning interview on WISN-TV's "Upfront," UW System President Jay Rothman said the encampments are illegal and "ultimately will be gone."

Rothman said he supported UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin's decision to authorize police removing the encampment on Wednesday. Asked why the response was not similar at UW-Milwaukee, Rothman said chancellors have authority to decide how to take action on different campuses.

He claimed clashes and confrontations with police were instigated by protestors. The Journal Sentinel reported Wednesday that police broke a chain of protestors, shoved protesters to the ground and hit people in heads with their shields. A UWPD spokesman said protestors pushed back while officers tried to take camping equipment, with some interactions turning violent.

Rothman said there are "good reasons" why encampments are illegal, including a lack of sanitary facilities and students staying overnight in populated areas. Rothman said it is a "health and safety issue."

Rothman also said protestors' demand to remove police from campus is "ludicrous" and a "non-starter." He added that the divestment issue is a "red herring."

"The university police do a terrific job in ensuring the safety of our students. They're absolutely essential," he said.

Asked whether police could be brought back, Rothman said "every option has to be on the table. At the end of the day, the encampments are there illegally. And they need to come down."

7:00 p.m. UW-Madison leadership says police won't clear encampment as long as discussions continue

On Saturday night, UW-Madison leaders released an update, saying they would not ask campus police to again clear the encampment as long as productive conversations continue with student protest organizers.

They added police would intervene in "the event of a public safety concern or an emergency."

Saturday marked the fourth meeting between administrators and protest organizers, and UW-Madison said the talks lasted more than an hour. Campus leaders have agreed to another meeting with organizers.

Students proposed bringing a set of guidelines about UW Foundation investments, but campus leaders said they made no commitments because the foundation is a separate, independent nonprofit.

The administration said there was no discussion in the meeting about a ceasefire statement or cutting ties with Israel. Campus leaders said removing the UW-Madison Police Department from campus was not an option.

2:00 p.m. Protestors leave Bascom Hall and head back to UW-Madison encampment

A group of protesters sat outside of Bascom Hall Saturday afternoon while their leadership and UW officials met inside. The protesters involved in the meeting left the building around 2 p.m.

Graduates also gathered around Bascom Hall, taking photos on the iconic hill leading up to the building. Some climbed the Abraham Lincoln statue despite the protesters sitting at the base. Those involved in the encampment declined to speak with reporters.

Saturday afternoon also brought a group of Jewish counter-protesters. Kara Silver, who has a daughter at UW-Madison, said she flew in from New Jersey to ensure her child and friends had support during a tense time on campus.

Silver said chancellors across the country are negotiating with protesters but have failed to have Jewish voices at the table. A group of students with a banner reading "No negotiations without Jewish representation" stood behind her, though the group did not include her daughter.

"These kids behind me are champions. They are champions for peace in the United States, they are champions for Jewish people, and are champions for our country," she said. "And they are brave, very brave."

11:30 a.m. Veterans for Peace speak at UWM encampment

A crowd of a few dozen people gathered as Veterans for Peace addressed those in the UWM encampment just before 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Keith Brumley, president of the Milwaukee chapter of Veterans for Peace, told those gathered that the group was there to "support your cause and your principled and courageous stand for peace in Gaza."

He called for a ceasefire and condemned both the Oct. 7 attack on Israel from which hostages have yet to be released and Israel's "relentless, dehumanizing and indiscriminate violence in Gaza."

A schedule for the remainder of the day included three teach-ins.

Audari Tamayo, 21, estimated at least 100 people remained at the encampment sharing about 40 to 50 tents.

He said events Friday night included an interfaith vigil.

Organizers in Milwaukee are in close contact with those in Madison, he said.

He said protesters would stay until their demands are met.

10:15 a.m.: UW-Milwaukee, Madison encampments quiet Saturday morning

The encampment at UWM was quiet Saturday morning.

A small number of people milled around inside the barriers made of overturned tables and plywood that surrounded the two dozen-plus tents visible from the corner of East Kenwood Boulevard and North Downer Avenue.

Food had been set out just behind an opening in the barriers, though the table looked largely untouched.

No one was immediately available to speak to a reporter.

The UW-Madison encampment also remained quiet Saturday morning. Organizers released a full schedule for the day, which will include activities for children, several teach-ins and an open mic at 9 p.m. that focuses on centering Palestinian voices.

Leadership of the "Liberated Zone," are scheduled to meet at 12:30 p.m. with Mnookin and members of administration.

5:30 p.m.: UW-Madison remains open to meeting Saturday

University leaders said Friday they remained open to meeting at noon Saturday with protesters.

"We believe that today’s meeting ended productively, and that it makes sense for us to continue engaging with each other," the note from UW-Madison Provost Charles Isbell, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor and Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs John Zumbrunnen said in a message to protesters. "As we look around the country at how events have unfolded at universities in Los Angeles and New York, we certainly hope that we can find a better path forward here in Madison."

Protesters earlier Friday rejected a Saturday meeting saying it would be pointless without the UW Foundation disclosing more information on its investments.

The University Committee, a group of professors who regularly meet with administrators, called for deliberation in good faith.

"The parties must continue their discussions with the aim of peacefully coming to a speedy resolution acceptable to all those involved, as difficult as that might be," the statement said.

5:15 p.m.: UWM protesters double-down on demands

Friday ended with little, if any, movement in negotiations between UW-Milwaukee and protesters.

The two parties have yet to directly negotiate with each other, according to the demonstrators.

A university statement said administrators "are having conversations with students and community members in the background."

The UWM Foundation also released a statement, which said none of its bond investments include weapons manufacturers or investments with governments in the Middle East. The statement also said the foundation cannot select what stocks or other investments are included in its equity mutual funds.

Protest leaders said the encampment was in for the long haul.

"If that's their plan to just kind of wait us out, this is a message to the university that we have teams that are actively working on ways to put more and more pressure on the university," Muslim Student Association board member Ameen Atta said Friday. "So we're not going to sit here to picnic and if they decide to ignore us, we're just going to be OK with it."

12 p.m.: Negotiations between UW-Madison students and leadership broke down Friday

Friday morning, protesters gathered for another update on negotiations with UW-Madison leadership. A group from the encampment met with the Provost, the vice provost, and the vice chancellor for student affairs at 8:30 a.m. Friday, but no consensus was reached.

"They offered a longer negotiations meeting with lawyers present, so that we could come to an agreement, but one of our student negotiators pointed out that the meeting would be pointless without disclosure of the UW Foundation's investments" said Jules, who uses a pseudonym.

"Students remain firm, the only way to move this forward is our goal of divestment and disclosure, which we've always said.

UW leadership refused to commit to not sending in officers again this weekend. Jules said the goal was to have the encampment gone in time for finals next week, but students say that is unlikely. Protesters also emphasized that the longer the encampment goes on, the more it impacts the students involved.

"We're going to be here today, and we're gonna be here all day in solidarity. We're going to be here all night, and this weekend," said Viggy, who declined to provide a last name. "They've tried to paint us outside agitators, but we're students, we are community members, we are faculty. We are UW-Madison."

10 a.m.: Breakdown of arrests at UW-Madison released, most released without citation

About three-fourths of the 34 people arrested Wednesday when police broke up the illegal encampment were part of the campus community.

Eighteen of those arrested were students, seven were faculty or staff, and nine were not affiliated with UW-Madison, according to university police spokesperson Marc Lovicott.

Most of the people were released without a citation, according to UW-Madison police. Four were were booked into the Dane County Jail. One of the the four was a student and the others weren't affiliated with UW-Madison, Lovicott said.

9 a.m.: UW-Madison encampment quiet Friday morning

At the UW-Madison encampment, all was quiet as of 8:30 Friday morning. Those staying in the encampment milled about, chatting and enjoying the sun after a rainy Thursday night. Some gathered in the food tent for breakfast, while others redid the chalk along the sidewalks.

Meanwhile, UW students passed by the group of tents with only a brief glance on the way to class.

Leadership at the encampment said there will be an announcement, likely regarding the second meeting between protest leadership and UW officials, at 11 a.m. this morning. They were unable to provide any more details.

The schedule for those camping today includes morning art-making, a guest speaker and a liberation Shabbat Friday evening.

In a chat providing updates on the encampment, there was also a call to support those who are facing felony charges following Wednesday's clash with police. According to information from the chat, those who were arrested will have a hearing at 1:30 p.m.

8:45 a.m.: Encampments at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee quiet Friday morning

Student protestors are just waking up at UWM. About 40 tents sit on the lawn outside Mitchell Hall. Occasionally, cars honk at them as they drive by. Unlike many schools across the country, students say they’ve largely been undisturbed.A few students, who have jobs as baristas, were handing out free coffee and lattes within the camp to the protesters as they woke up. The menu included vanilla lavender carmel lattes and raspberry mochas, as well as regular coffee.Students slept in the tents through last night’s rain, but many said it wasn’t so bad since they have water proof tents.Today, the camp plans to participate in prayer with the Islamic Society of Milwaukee and later with Jewish Voices for Palestine. Two teach-ins are also on the daily itinerary. In their free time, students say they’ve been studying from the camp.

Students said some are leaving the camp and going to class during the day. Others study from the camp. Friday morning, two students sat on benches within the camp on laptops. Another sat inside a tent reading a book.A few students said they plan to keep the camp up through finals week if allowed.Additionally, the Emile H. Mathis art gallery entrance is open to students within the camp. They’ve been coming in and out throughout the morning. The entrance is within the camp “fence.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW-Madison says police won't clear encampment as talks continue