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 April 30, the second day of the encampment.
The second day of the University of Oregon’s pro-Palestine encampment saw slow and steady growth in the number of campers. As of 10 p.m., roughly 60 tents and a dozen tarps were present on the northern half of the Memorial Quad, as student organizers discussed a potential southward expansion of the encampment towards the Knight Library.
Community members had donated significant amounts of food to the encampment Tuesday morning. One student organizer, going by Cedar, said the coalition’s Venmo donation page was flagged for fraud due to high demand. 
Organizers set up a “Liberation Library” where students could check out books. Other activities put on by organizers throughout the day included t-shirt printing and Tatreez making, a traditional Palestinian embroidery. A group of approximately 20 students volunteered for overnight security shifts.
Students wrote the names of individuals killed in the Israel-Hamas war in chalk around the encampment, including journalists, babies and “martyrs.” Over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7 in the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Gazan Ministry of Health, while roughly 1,200 people were killed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
Dozens of pro-Palestine encampments have emerged on U.S. university campuses in recent weeks. The New York Times has reported that more than 1,000 arrests have been made on various college campuses as a result. Portland State University closed its campus Tuesday, OPB reported, as pro-Palestine students took control of the school’s library.  

The second day of UO’s pro-Palestine encampment is coming to an end. Roughly 60 tents are packed closely together on the northern half of the Memorial Quad. The student organizers’ security team is walking laps with flashlights outside of the camp.

The night will conclude for protesters with an 11 p.m. Isha’a prayer service, followed by lights out around midnight.

Daily Emerald reporters are off the scene and will resume coverage of the encampment at 8 a.m. tomorrow.   

Updated 8:16 p.m. 

Approximately 100 people gathered to observe Ma’ariv prayer, a Jewish prayer conducted in the evening, and the Maghrib prayer, one of five daily traditional Islamic prayers. 

16 participants prayed together on tarps on the Memorial Quad, while around 100 people observed. 
The prayer was briefly interrupted by a community member who shouted “we are here to pray for the death[s] of 3,000 people. Death [is] really sad.” The individual left immediately after.

By sunset there were roughly 60 tents on the Memorial Quad, with more students arriving.

Community members were parking behind Johnson Hall, and bringing supplies to the demonstrators.
Updated 7:41 p.m.

At 7:20 p.m., a group of approximately 20 students gathered on the steps of Condon Hall for a voluntary meeting for overnight security shifts. 

There is currently a line of approximately 30 people for T-shirt printing, with the statement “I will no longer be complicit in genocide” printed onto white shirts. 
At 7:37 p.m., organizers ran out of t-shirts and had participants printing on their own clothes.

People are currently entering the encampment with camping gear. Tea Bland, a UO student and media liaison in the camp, said that the encampment will be expanded south towards the library to make room for additional participants.

The speech on media and settler colonialism, which was originally going to be presented at 4:00 p.m., is being rescheduled.

Updated 6:00 p.m

Participants have gathered to paint signs in front of the Lillis Business Complex while others gathered to chalk the name of “martyrs” on the sidewalks of the encampment. 

Organizers have also set up a “Liberation Library” where participants can check out books.

Approximately 120 participants were present, playing card games, talking and setting up more tents for this evening’s planned activities. The encampment has expanded to roughly a dozen tarps and 60 to 70 tents. 

Dinner is scheduled to be served at 6 p.m., with a Ma’ariv/Maghrib prayer service scheduled for 7:30 p.m which will be followed by t-shirt printing and Tatreez making, a traditional Palestinian embroidery. The night is expected to be closed out around 11 p.m with an Isha’a prayer service. 

The speaking event with Professor Michelle McKinley from the UO Law School scheduled for 4:15 p.m. never occurred. 

UO Grads for Palestine announced on Instagram  this afternoon that there would be a “Shut it down for Palestine” event, calling for students and workers to walk out of classes and jobs to join in a vigil and march at 12 p.m. tomorrow, May 1.  

The rally is part of a “global day of action” for Palestine. The announcement read “No business as usual during genocide.”

Updated 3:54 p.m.

Protestors were making posters in what looked like three breakout groups. Two groups were discussing a chapter from the book “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine” while the other group discussed first aid and potential police scenarios. 

Students and community members have been donating food since the encampment began yesterday morning. A media liaison going by Void said “we have gotten more support than expected.”

The food and beverages donated are primarily for those who are camping, but those who come to support are also allowed to grab food if they need. 

Updated 3:22 p.m. 

Dean of Students Marcus Langford was seen talking with student organizers at the encampment around 1:30 p.m.

“It was cool, right now they’re being pretty passive, they don’t see a problem with it yet,” Salem Younes, an SJP co-director, said.

Younes said that student leaders have been checking in with administrators about hygiene in the encampment and ensuring that students are washing their hands and using the bathroom indoors, as well as picking up trash from the area.

“I’m stressing the fact that everything is clean and we’re taking appropriate measures to make sure that everything stays clean,” Younes said.

Updated 1:36 p.m.
The UO Palestine Coalition has given the University a May 2 deadline to fulfill their requests. 

What happens if nothing is done by UO before May 2?
A student going by Cedar Deodora, a media liaison and organizer, said the coalition is following a pattern similar to other universities hosting encampments in which they will stay until demands with UO are met. The reasoning behind the May 2 was not made clear. 
The coalition is now encouraging donations directly to Gaza. JVP and SJP has posted a donation page to their social media, which will benefit the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, United Nations Crisis Relief and the Middle East Children’s Alliance.

Updated 1:05 p.m.

In an email statement yesterday, UO administrators said that they were “in communication with those participating” in the encampment on a Memorial Quad reservation scheduled later in the week.

Rick Haught, UO’s director of scheduling and event services, confirmed an existing reservation this week, but indicated it may not be a scheduling conflict until Tuesday, May 7.

In a conversation with the Emerald, Haught said there are no reservations on the Memorial Quad — including the Condon-Chapman lawn on the quad’s north end, where the majority of tents are located — until Friday, when the Associated Students of the University of Oregon has reserved space for its biannual Street Faire. 

ASUO, however, doesn’t anticipate needing to occupy the Memorial Quad until they start making space for Street Faire vendors on Tuesday, May 7 — meaning that, in theory, the encampment could last an additional week without any obvious scheduling conflicts. Nicole Nelson, an administrative coordinator for the university who works closely with ASUO, said that the student government would assess its options if the encampment was still present on May 7.

A suicide prevention walk hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention was previously scheduled for May 4 on the Memorial Quad. Haught said the event has been moved to the EMU Green.

Tea Bland, a UO student in the encampment, said that administrators had not reached out to them directly about what the reservation was, but indicated it would not sway organizers from attempting to remain.

“We’re going to do the best we can to try and stay put,” Bland said.

Updated 12:21 p.m.

At around noon, a discussion was held in the encampment, titled “Why are we here?,” according to the SJP Instagram page. Facilitators talked about differing levels of risk, information about other colleges holding encampments and the risk of arrest.

A student organizer going by Diego said that the encampment “[is] not leaving until we get divestment from genocide.”

Diego said that it is a misunderstanding that organizers who are willing to get arrested “have nothing to lose.”

“I would like to not get suspended or expelled. But this is a risk I’m willing to take on,” they said. “Because I care about Palestinians. I care about all the rest of you.”

According to Diego, they need more students to “step up” because “the way we keep others from consequences is by all being willing to face those consequences.” 

A student facilitator identifying themselves as Noah initiated breakout groups so that members of the encampments could discuss their reasons for participating with a facilitator. 

“We’d like to have these breakout groups really small so that everyone’s voice can be heard,” Noah said. “We’re trying to make sure that every single person speaks, which is especially important for our first question — why are you participating?”

Updated 11:54 a.m.

According to Tea Bland, a UO student and media liaison for the UO Coalition for Palestine, community members have brought blankets and there has been a “huge influx of support” from the Eugene community.

A student organizer going by Cedar Deodora said that the Venmo donation page for the coalition had set up, @materialsupplyfund, was flagged for fraud due to the large amount of donation requests they were receiving. Organizations like UO Grads for Palestine who are affiliated with the coalition had posted the Venmo on social media for those who wished to donate or support the encampment if they couldn’t be there themselves.

Bland described the onboarding process for students wishing to join the encampment. The coalition uses a messaging app, Signal, to communicate with members and assess each member’s capacity for how much risk they’d like to take on while participating.
 

Updated 9:59 a.m.

Approximately 100 participants are currently at the encampment. 

According to a media liaison who identified themselves as LJ Smith, numerous community members have donated food and water to the encampment since it began yesterday.

Hundreds of bottles of donated water, chips, granola bars, nuts, fruit and Gatorade have been collected and sorted by organizers. 

A media liaison who identified themselves as LJ Smith said that any member of the community can donate food and supplies. 

Participants sat around the encampment eating breakfast and playing music. Some participants fielded questions from a class of students who came out of Lillis Business Complex to observe the encampment.  
 

Updated 8:38 a.m.

It’s a chilly and cloudy morning to kick off the second day of UO’s pro-Palestine encampment, but spirits in the camp seemed to remain high. No major disturbances occurred overnight, including any police presence.

Roughly 50 tents — double the amount that were there at the same time yesterday — are spread out across the Memorial Quad, covering roughly half the distance between Lillis Hall and the Knight Library.

Several dozen students were conversing and drinking coffee, while others were still asleep in their tents. Various students and community members have donated supplies, and there is a large pile of various foodstuffs in one of the encampment’s tarps. 

“Morale’s good. It was very cold last night,” Carolyn Roderique, a student organizer for UO Young Democratic Socialists of America, said. “You get your couple agitational people, but not a big deal. Nothing unexpected.”

According to Roderique, organizers are hoping for further conversations with UO administrators about divestment from the state of Israel and Israeli companies, but acknowledged it may take longer to see those demands addressed.

Still, Roderique said there had been no “outward hostility” from the university.

“No lockouts from these buildings either,” Roderique said. “I mean, it’d be crazy if they did that, because we pay for them.”

Roderique said that getting new campers onboarded in the encampment and familiarizing them with organizers’ decisions would be a primary focus of the day.  

Editor-in-Chief Evan Reynolds, News Editor Tristin Hoffman, Associate News Editors Mathias Lehman-Winters and Alisa Dougherty, Social Media Editor Alicia Santiago, and news reporters Tarek Anthony, Reilly Norgren, Stephanie Hensley, Hanna Kalan and Ysabella Sosa contributed to this reporting.