Photos and story by Andrew Mullin

ANN ARBOR – The student encampment at the University of Michigan entered its fourth week on May 13, continuing despite the end of the semester, rising concerns about police raids and university pushback.

The Gaza solidarity camp at the University Diag currently stands with dozens of tents, with students continuing to call on the university to divest its endowment funds from companies that support the state of Israel. However, tensions continue to rise between student activists and the university following a Wednesday protest outside the home of a university regent.

Hundreds took part in a march through the university to mark the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, referring to the mass expulsion of more than 750,000 Palestinians from their homes upon the founding of Israel in 1948. Earlier that morning, more than two dozen protesters arrived at the home of University Regent Sarah Hubbard, where they left mock-bloodied body bags and called on her and other regents through a megaphone to discuss divesting from Israel.

The university denounced this action in an official statement.

“The tactics used today represent a significant and dangerous escalation in the protests that have been occurring on campus,” the statement read. “Going to an individual’s private residence is intimidating behavior and, in this instance, illegal trespassing.”

Earlier on Monday, the Tahrir Coalition, a collection of student groups helping to organize the encampment, called upon supporters of the encampment to show up after allegedly getting word of potential police raids from a conversation with the dean of students, according to an Instagram post. Hundreds showed up to sing karaoke, share food and discuss the ongoing occupation and crisis in Palestine.

Encampment organizers believe the large crowd warded off a police raid that evening.

“Community mobilization kept us safe this evening, but in line with other schools, we need to be prepared for a surprise night raid or sweep this week,” read a post from the Tahrir Coalition. “We set up our encampment with the demand for full, immediate divestment and are committed to maintaining our solidarity encampment as long as our university remains complicit in genocide.”

Caption for all photos: With the concern of a police raid, hundreds of supporters of the University of Michigan Gaza solidarity encampment showed up to support student campers on Monday, May 13 at the University Diag. Encampment organizers believe the large numbers of visitors warded off a police road that evening.