University of Chicago dismantles anti-Israel encampment as students claim they were ‘ambushed’ while sleeping

The University of Chicago announced Tuesday that an anti-Israel encampment which has been interfering with the "free expression, learning, and work of others" at the campus has been completely dismantled. 

Video captured police earlier this morning tearing down tents and barricades and dragging away Palestinian flags that were set up on its Main Quad. Protesters later were seen locking arms and standing in opposition to the law enforcement, whom the university called to disperse the encampment on campus that had been set up for more than a week. 

"AFTER they had ALREADY ambushed students sleeping in tents, destroyed the encampment, and threatened those remaining with arrest, suspension, and eviction, UCPD threw an enormously belated round of slips at protestors telling them to "take all items with [them]" or else they would be "discarded or donated," a student group calling itself UChicago United for Palestine wrote on Instagram. 

"UChicago reaches new lows by the minute, sinking further as it desperately defends its investments in genocide and colonialism," the group added.  

LIVE UPDATES: ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS AT US COLLEGE CAMPUSES 

Police block pro-Palestinian protesters from returning to their encampment at the University of Chicago, on Tuesday, May 7.  (AP/Charles Rex Arbogast)

The group did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital on Tuesday. 

"At approximately 4:40 a.m. Tuesday, UCPD began removing protesters, tents, and unauthorized structures from the Main Quad, supported by contract security personnel and University staff members," Michele Rasmussen, the dean of students, said in a statement. "The overnight action, done when fewer protesters were in the encampment, was a collaborative effort carefully planned to minimize the need for arrests and reduce the impact on others in our campus and in nearby neighborhoods."

Police had given a final notice to students participating in the anti-Israel protests that they must leave or be arrested for criminal trespass, according to images circulating on social media. 

"Additionally, failure to immediately leave will result in disciplinary action as outlined in the Student Manual. You will be immediately placed on emergency interim leave of absence from the University," a notice stated. 

In a message Tuesday, University of Chicago President Paul Alivisatos said the university intervened to end the encampment due to safety concerns and increasing risks that made the status quo unacceptable. 

"The protesters were given an opportunity to disassemble their structures and depart the encampment, and there have been no arrests. Where appropriate, disciplinary action will proceed," Alivisatos said. 

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Police dismantle an anti-Israel encampment early Tuesday at the University of Chicago. (Brendan Gutenschwager via Storyful)

"Over multiple days, including through the weekend, we engaged with the representatives of the encampment to work toward a resolution. There were areas where we were able to achieve common ground, but ultimately a number of the intractable and inflexible aspects of their demands were fundamentally incompatible with the University’s principled dedication to institutional neutrality. As such, we could not come to a resolution," he explained.  

Alivisatos also said "many aspects of the protests also interfered with the free expression, learning, and work of others." 

But University of Chicago Assistant Professor Eman Abdelhadi spoke out against the police activity on X, arguing that "The point of this raid was terror.  

A student walks in the anti-Israel encampment on the Main Quad at the University of Chicago campus on Monday. (AP/Nam Y. Huh)

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"They waited for those kids to fall asleep. And then they pulled the tents from under them while they were sleeping," she wrote. "Shame on the University of Chicago." 

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.