Students set up encampment at WSU, demand divestment from Israel

Pro-Palestinian encampment set up at Wayne State

Students set up camp on Wayne State University's campus on Thursday, demanding the school divests from Israel -- similar to the recently removed University of Michigan encampment in Ann Arbor.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Another encampment is taking over a college campus. This time, pro-Palestinian protesters are setting up camp at Wayne State University – demanding divestment from Israel.

The latest effort comes just days after a similar encampment was forcibly removed by police at the University of Michigan's campus in Ann Arbor.

About 50-60 WSU students started putting up their tents and signs in the center of campus Thursday afternoon. One student told FOX 2 they are planning on spending the night on campus, along with every night it takes for the university to listen to their demands – or until the camp is disbanded.

Police are still negotiating how to approach the WSU encampment. Students have remained peaceful so far.

"What we want is ethical investment," one student who joined the encampment at Wayne State said.

Speakers were talking to protesters about what they should do if they are tear-gassed.

Video of police clearing out protesters in Ann Arbor showed law enforcement pepper-spraying students after refusing to leave. The incident led to four arrests.

"People will try their best to discourage you and I, to push yourself away from saying what needs to be said. This is the least that you and I can do," one speaker told the WSU crowd on Thursday. "If this movement was not striking fear into their hearts, they would have never stood against the students."