Protestors marched from the encampment to Johnson Hall to hold a “mock tribunal” where they put UO President John Karl Scholz, UO Foundation President Paul Weinhold, and other administration “on trial for their participation and complicity in genocide”. The protestors then declared a sit-in, sitting on the front steps of Johnson Hall, and decorating the sidewalk around the building with signage of the protest.

(Saj Sundaram/Emerald)

The Daily Emerald is providing live coverage of the University of Oregon’s pro-Palestine encampment, which began on April 29 at 7 a.m. All of our coverage on the encampment can be found here.

Below is the Emerald’s coverage of May 15 and 16, the 17th and 18th days of the encampment.

May 15 and 16 saw further pro-Palestine demonstrations amid a continued lack of progress between student demonstrators in the encampment and university officials.

By the end of May 16, roughly 60 tents had moved to the front of Johnson Hall, the UO administration building, as well as the lawn between Fenton and Friendly Halls opposite Johnson. Several protesters chained themselves to the pillars outside of Johnson. The protesters did not make attempts to occupy the building.

On May 15, pro-Palestine demonstrators held an early morning protest outside the home of UO President John Karl Scholz.

According to a statement by EPD Public Information officer Melinda McLaughlin, “at 1:55 a.m. on May 15, Eugene Police responded to reports of 15 or more protesters drumming and chanting in the yard of a Fairmont-area home. UOPD also responded. One unknown male individual was noted to have committed trespass. No enforcement action was taken.”

Protestors allegedly left behind flyers throughout the neighborhood apologizing for the loud noise but said that their neighbor, Scholz, would not condemn Israeli military actions in Gaza.

Hours after the protest at Scholz’s house, around 3:45 a.m., the Starbucks location in the 1500 block of Franklin Boulevard was vandalized. Subjects smashed the front windows of the store and graffitied other windows with messages of “land back” and “free Gaza.” It was unclear whether the protest at Scholz’s house or the ongoing encampment was connected to the overnight vandalism.

Lather that day, encampment members gathered for a “Nakba Remembrance Day” vigil. Around 75 participants dressed in all black and joined in a silent march from the encampment to the Erb Memorial Union.

Demonstrators wore red poppy flowers, the national flower of Palestine.

Once protesters entered the EMU, they walked in circles around the EMU O-desk, while protesters from above threw hundreds of pieces of papers down onto the ground floor of the EMU reading, “Tell UO to listen to their students”. Below there was a QR code linking to a website where people can write letters to the university. Others handed out flyers explaining the Nakba, which refers to the forced displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians during the 1948 war.

Numerous red flags were planted on the Fenton Hall lawn, each one representing 100 individuals killed in Gaza. Several students remained at the site to mourn throughout the afternoon.

At around 11 a.m. the next day, May 16, demonstrators at the encampment marched to Johnson Hall, the UO administration building, to watch a “mock tribunal.” Some members dressed up as UO administrators, a judge and a prosecutor in order to “put them on trial.”

The faculty “on trial” were UO President John Karl Scholz, President of the UO Foundation Paul Weinhold and Steve Holwerda, chair of the UO Board of Trustees.

Before the “tribunal,” members of the encampment read testimonies from individuals in Gaza.

“[Administration] stand accused of profiting from the system of death and destruction funded by the university’s investments in the U.S-Israel war machine,” Salem Younes, the “judge” and a leader of the UO Coalition for Palestine, said.

Following the “tribunal,” protestors sat on the steps of Johnson hall. Five protestors have locked themselves to the columns of Johnson Hall. Johnson Hall was “renamed” Alareer Hall by protesters after Refaat Alareer, a writer and professor in Gaza who was killed in December 2023.

“The choice of some protestors to chain themselves to a university building marks an unfortunate escalation of recent protest activities,” Eric Howald, a UO spokesperson, said.

Howald said that the protest violates university policy and the student code of conduct, and “disrupt[s] university operations, impedes access to the building and create[s] unsafe obstructions” to people who may need to exit the building in the event of an emergency.

Around 7 p.m., members of the encampment began moving tents and tarps in front of Johnson Hall. By the end of the night, roughly half of the encampment had moved to Johnson Hall or the grass between Fenton and Friendly Hall, which protesters had renamed “Yazan Memorial Quad.” “Yazan” appears to refer to a Palestinian boy who died of malnutrition on March 4.

A media liaison for the encampment previously said that the UO Coalition for Palestine negotiation team will be speaking with the university tomorrow morning, with the discussion moderated by “UO Faculty Senate.” The Emerald has reached out to the university for comment.

UOPD officers could be seen parked behind Johnson Hall for much of the night, but appeared to have left by the time Daily Emerald reporters left the scene.

Read on for live updates as they happened.

Updated May 16, 11:50 p.m.

Demonstrators at the encampment are settling in for their 18th night after an eventful day. UOPD officers, who had previously been parked behind Johnson Hall where roughly half of the encampment has moved, have left the scene. A security officer is present inside the building.

A media liaison for the encampment previously said that the UO Coalition for Palestine negotiation team will be speaking with the University of Oregon tomorrow morning, with the discussion moderated by “UO Faculty Senate.” The Emerald has reached out to the university for comment.

Daily Emerald reporters are off the scene and will continue to monitor conditions at the encampment throughout the night.

Updated May 16, 11:17 p.m.

Eric Howald, a UO spokesperson, provided a statement on the earlier “sit-in” and eventual self-chaining of protestors to the columns of Johnson Hall today.

“The choice of some protestors to chain themselves to a university building marks an unfortunate escalation of recent protest activities,” Howald said.

Howald said that this violates university policy and the student code of conduct, and “disrupt[s] university operations, impedes access to the building and create[s] unsafe obstructions” to people who may need to exit the building in the event of an emergency.

Howald also said that the “escalation” created safety concerns, and that UO is continuing to evaluate its options to “bring this incident to a satisfactory conclusion.”

The 4:14 p.m. statement was issued hours before members of the encampment moved tents and tarps in front of Johnson Hall and on the lawn between Fenton and Friendly Hall.

Roughly 60 tents are currently in front of Johnson Hall, meaning that roughly half of the encampment is still located at the Memorial Quad.

Updated 9:27 p.m. 

Kermit, a media liaison for the encampment, said that the UO Coalition for Palestine negotiation team will be speaking with the University of Oregon tomorrow morning, with the discussion moderated by “UO Faculty Senate.” Kermit also said that it’s not an open negotiation, but rather private between parties.

Kermit did not comment on the negotiations teams’ hopes for the meeting. University spokesperson Eric Howald will not be able to respond for comment until the morning of May 17.

Kermit said the reasoning for the encampment to move in front of Johnson was that “we want to come together as a group, and if they’re [the individuals who have chained themselves to Johnson Halls’ columns] out there we’re going to move with them.”

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article said that Kermit had confirmed that participants are moving tents and supplies. At the time, this was not the case. Kermit now has confirmed that the encampment has moved in front of Johnson Hall.

Updated May 16, 8:05 p.m. 

There are now roughly 17 tents and counting in the grass adjacent to Fenton Hall. They have renamed the grass between Fenton and Friendly Hall, to “Yazan Memorial Quad”. “Yazan” appears to refer to a Palestinian boy who died of malnutrition on March 4.

Two UOPD cars were seen parked adjacent to Johnson Hall. At least two UOPD officers could be seen inside the lobby of Johnson Hall.

University spokesperson Eric Howald said he will not be able to respond for any comment until the morning of May 17.

Updated May 16, 7:24 p.m. 

Approximately seven hours after the “sit-in” on the stairs of Johnson Hall began, participants of the pro-Palestine encampment began moving the encampment east down East 13th ave from the Memorial Quad to directly the area in front of Johnson Hall.

A media liaison who goes by Kermit confirmed that participants are moving tents and supplies.

Demonstrators chalked the walk-ways outside of Johnson with messages including, “in our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinian.”

They also wrote a quote from Refaat Alareer, a Palestinian journalist and writer, who was killed in December 2023. They have renamed Johnson Hall to “Alareer Hall.”  The chalk read, “ if I must die, you must live to tell my story.”

The five members who have chained themselves to the columns of Johnson Hall remain. Around 25 people remain on the steps.

 Updated May 16, 12:08 p.m. 

Protestors are currently holding a “sit-in” on the stairs of Johnson Hall. Organizers distributed papers to participants explaining the potential risk of participating in the sit-in including, academic sanctions and arrest.

UO Coalition for Palestine organizer Salem Younes said that “if [UO] is going to lock the building, this is what we’re doing in retaliation.” They invited students to “hunker down” and “bring some homework” because “we’ll be here for a long time.”

At least five demonstrators have chained themselves to the columns of Johnson Hall.

The protestors are not returning to the encampment, remaining on the stairs and lawn of Johnson. The rally ended and the sit-in began at around 11:50 a.m.

Scholz was seen briefly looking down upon the crowd from the top floor of Johnson though it is unclear if he is still present in Johnson.

One speaker said, about Scholz, that “by refusing to engage in a serious conversation about divestment” the administration is “willingly complicit in the disturbing violence of this genocide.”

Another speaker read information from the university regarding “Ducks Give Day,” a fundraiser. They asked students to encourage people who might be receiving emails about donating to the UO to not donate.

“The university is asking for money all day,” Younes said. “And we know damn well where that money is going to go.”

Updated May 16, 11:44 a.m.

At around 11 a.m., demonstrators at the encampment marched to Johnson Hall to watch a “mock tribunal” where some members dressed up as UO administrators, a judge and a prosecutor in order to “put them on trial.”

The faculty “on trial” were UO President John Karl Scholz, President of the UO Foundation Paul Weinhold and Steve Holwerda, chair of the UO Board of Trustees.

Before the “tribunal,” members of the encampment read testimonies from individuals in Gaza.

“[Administration] stand accused of profiting from the system of death and destruction funded by the university’s investments in the U.S-Israel war machine,” Salem Younes, the “judge” and a leader of the UO Coalition for Palestine, said.

After putting the “administration” on trial, the crowd was asked to decide on a verdict. Protestors shouted “guilty” in unison.

The resulting “charge” for the three members of administration was to “immediately disclose, divest any and all financial and academic ties to the Israeli apartheid state and genocide,” according to Younes.

Following the “tribunal,” protestors sat on the steps of Johnson hall. Five protestors have locked themselves to the columns of Johnson Hall.

Johnson Hall was “renamed” Alareer Hall, after Refaat Alareer, a writer and professor in Gaza who was killed in December 2023.

Around 60 protestors occupied the steps of Johnson Hall, chanting “whose university? Our university!” And “Free, free Palestine.” Around 45 onlookers joined, sitting on the lawn of Johnson.

“We are not leaving here until our demands are met,” Younes said.

Updated May 15, 3:59 p.m.

Demonstrators at the encampment announced a rally at 11 a.m. tomorrow “putting [administrators] on trial for their participation and complicity in genocide.”

Social media graphics depicted edited “mugshots” of UO President John Karl Scholz, as well as Paul Weinhold, president of the UO Foundation. Flyers with these graphics were also left in Scholz’s neighborhood following an overnight protest outside the president’s house.

The UO Coalition for Palestine has demanded that the UO Foundation divest from its holdings in Jasper Ridge Partners, an investment management firm which oversees $2.8 billion of the university’s assets.

A media liaison for the encampment going by June said that the rally is intended to be a “mock tribunal.” Demonstrators will gather at the encampment before marching to Johnson Hall at 11:30 a.m.

Meanwhile, negotiations continue to stagnate between university officials and student demonstrators. UO spokesperson Eric Howald confirmed that negotiators would not be meeting today, and have not done so since May 9.

Updated May 15, 1:14 p.m.

After the vigil stopped at Fenton Hall, protesters read names of those killed in Palestine and planted red flags in the grass outside of the hall. Each flag represents 100 Palestinians killed since the Nakba in 1948.

According to a media liaison for the encampment, protests stopped outside of Fenton Hall so they could be easily viewed by administrators across the street in Johnson Hall.

Approximately 13 protesters remain behind at Fenton, mourning, while the rest have returned to the encampment.

Updated May 15, 12:38 p.m.

At 12:00 p.m., encampment members gathered for a “Nakba Remembrance Day” vigil. Around 75 participants dressed in all black and joined in a silent march from the encampment to the Erb Memorial Union.

Demonstrators wore red poppy flowers, the national flower of Palestine.

Once protesters entered the EMU, they walked in circles around the EMU O-desk, while protesters from above threw hundreds of pieces of papers down onto the ground floor of the EMU reading, “Tell UO to listen to their students”. Below there was a QR code linking to a website where people can write letters to the university. Others handed out flyers explaining the Nakba, which refers to the forced displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians during the 1948 war.

Protesters then exited the EMU heading east before turning back onto East 13th westbound towards the encampment before stopping outside of Fenton Hall where they currently stand.

Updated May 15, 12:09 p.m.

Pro-Palestine demonstrators held an early morning protest outside the home of UO President John Karl Scholz.

According to a statement by EPD Public Information officer Melinda McLaughlin, “at 1:55 a.m. on May 15, Eugene Police responded to reports of 15 or more protesters drumming and chanting in the yard of a Fairmont-area home. UOPD also responded. One unknown male individual was noted to have committed trespass. No enforcement action was taken.”

Protestors allegedly left behind flyers throughout the neighborhood apologizing for the loud noise but said that their neighbor, Scholz, would not condemn Israeli military actions in Gaza.

Hours after the protest at Scholz’s house, around 3:45 a.m., the Starbucks location in the 1500 block of Franklin Boulevard was vandalized. Subjects smashed the front windows of the store and graffitied other windows with messages of “land back” and “free Gaza.”

It is not yet clear if the protest at Scholz’s house or the ongoing encampment is connected to the overnight vandalism at the Starbucks location on Franklin Blvd.

Encampment representative Salem Younes declined to comment on the protest and UO spokesperson Eric Howald did not respond to comments at the time of this writing.

Updated May 15, 9:19 a.m.

It’s day 17 of UO’s pro-Palestine encampment. The past few days have seen relative quiet for demonstrators as negotiations with the university remain stagnant.

At 12 p.m. today, demonstrators will gather for a “silent vigil and march” to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, an Arabic word for “catastrophe.” The Nakba refers to the forced displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians during the 1948 war that saw the establishment of the state of Israel.

For the moment, the encampment appears relatively uneventful and calm. As students wake up and emerge from their tents, the schedule from yesterday remains on the white board under the “media tent.”

A coalition of pro-Palestine student groups at Oregon State University launched an encampment of their own this morning, also in commemoration of the Nakba.

Daily Emerald reporters are on scene at the UO encampment and will continue to provide live updates throughout the day.