UW Pro-Palestinian protesters to present demands to Regents

Pro-Palestine rally planned for UW board meeting

It's been more than a week since pro-Palestinian protesters set up this encampment at UW's Quad. It has more than tripled in size since.

SEATTLE - For more than a week, pro-Palestinian protesters have established an encampment on the University of Washington's Quad, which has since grown more than threefold.

On Thursday, protesters shifted their focus to the university's Board of Regents, bringing their demands forward at a meeting.

The student-led protest rallied at Denny Yard as part of their movement calling for the university to support the rights of the Palestinian people.

This includes urging the UW to divest from Israel and to sever partnerships with companies like Boeing that protesters associate with these concerns. Their call to action also encompasses broader student and worker demands, such as union bargaining rights and divestment from the fossil fuel industry.

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A small group of protesters marches from the UW Quad to Denny Yard on May 9, 2024. (FOX 13 Seattle)

Protesters to meet at 11 a.m., aligning with the ongoing Board of Regents meeting that had been canceled on Wednesday. The delay in the meeting spurred frustrations among the protesters, some of whom believe the change was an attempt by the board to avoid confronting their demands.

An online review of the meeting schedule suggests that such cancelations or changes are not unprecedented and have happened in the past.

Thursday's Board of Regents agenda included sessions by the Academic and Student Affairs Committee and the Finance and Asset Management Committee, culminating in a full board assembly.

The University of Washington provided the following statement after an executive session: "Board Chair David Zeeck stated his appreciation for the speakers who presented their views during the public comment period, and thanked the audience and the Regents for listening and allowing the speakers to be heard — especially thanking those in attendance for the civility and respect they demonstrated to all the speakers. He emphasized that the public comments reflected the passions and engagement with the world that our students bring to the UW. The divestment proposal process is clear and anyone with a proposal can take steps to initiate that process."

A university spokesperson said as of May 9, nobody had filed a formal divestment proposal.

FOX 13 Seattle will continue to closely monitor and provide updates on this developing story.