Police Clear Out GWU Encampment After Call for Beheadings, May Have Moved in for More Ignoble Reason

George Washington University has been begging for help from the police for days to help clear out the campus encampment that had been set up there by the radical Gaza activists.

The President released a statement that what was currently happening was not peaceful protest, that it was "an illegal and potentially dangerous occupation of GW property” and “It is also essential to highlight that at no point was this encampment lawful.”

NEW: Statement by George Washington University President Ellen Granberg on the encampment:

“What is currently happening at GW is not a peaceful protest protected by the First Amendment or our university’s policies. The demonstration, like many around the country, has grown into… pic.twitter.com/0S1iAvXyCK
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) May 5, 2024

We reported previously what they had done to the statue of George Washington, defacing it and covering him in a keffiyeh and a Palestinian flag.

The activists even held mock trials for university officials, pronounced them guilty, and chanted about beheadings. You can see the video on X here,

"Guillotine, Guillotine, Guillotine, Guillotine" a person repeatedly chanted as others joined in, while some specifically targeted Christopher Alan Bracey, GW’s African American provost, The National Desk (TND) reported. "Bracey, Bracey we see you, you assault students too."
"To the guillotine," another can be heard shouting, per the report. "Off to the motherf****** gallows with you too."

That supposedly happened on May 3.

But the police failed to come in even in spite of all that, despite the fact the school has been begging for help since at least the week before, as we reported on April 27.

District of Columbia Police Reject George Washington University Request to Clear Pro-Hamas Encampment

Police finally came in and cleared the encampment on Wednesday morning at about 3:30 a.m.

Here's the "found out" moment:

Early this morning, D.C. police began clearing the protest camp at George Washington University's campus that started nearly two weeks ago.

Authorities said multiple people have been arrested.

READ MORE: https://t.co/PPugse3niJ pic.twitter.com/mdulBg9qjC
— 7News DC (@7NewsDC) May 8, 2024

At least 35 people were arrested after police moved in, including some for assault on police, as it got violent in response.

BREAKING: Police finally cleared the camp at George Washington University early this morning.

Here they are pepper spraying some of the protestors: pic.twitter.com/BcRDo03zGL
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) May 8, 2024

The encampment at George Washington University has been cleared by the Metropolitan Police Department. Police went in around 3:30 am.

37 adults and 1 juvenile arrested.

4 arrests for assault of a police officer.

Everyone charged with unlawful entry. pic.twitter.com/WktrGxwxd1
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) May 8, 2024

They finally also removed the keffiyeh and Palestinian flag from the George Washington statue.

BREAKING: Kufiya and Palestinian flags have been removed from statue of George Washington after encampment cleared by police pic.twitter.com/B73yvLVxUw
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) May 8, 2024

Why did they only move in now, rather than back when they were chanting about beheadings on May 3?

Mayor Muriel Bowser and police chief Pamela Smith are supposed to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday to talk about the encampment and safety concerns. They knew they were up a creek without a paddle, so I think they went in so they could at least now say, "Hey, we did it." But this is disgraceful that it took so long to get to this point.