Persistent pro-Palestine protest at Johns Hopkins University, no word on meeting results

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A pro-Palestine encampment remains on the campus of Johns Hopkins University after a meeting Tuesday between university administrators and protest leaders, despite pushback from some Jewish student organizations.

The encampment, with nearly 70 tents and demonstrators, could be seen Tuesday night, hours after that meeting--marking its ninth day.

University officials have said they want the encampment cleared, saying protesters with their camp are in violation of school policy.

"I mean, honestly, even though they're breaking school policy I feel like it's not that big of a problem because the cause that they're going for right now, is way more important," said Tayseer, a sophomore computer science major at the school.

"I think it's very impressive that they've been able to stay out here for as long as they have. It's been raining, it's been cold," said Jeff, a junior and computer science major at the university.

But not everyone is impressed by the protesters' presence.

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Some Jewish students on campus say they don't feel comfortable and they're concerned about their safety. They also say they want the university to take action.

"The stuff that they’re chanting, the posters they are handing out, the signs that they have are something that I think is really troubling and anti-Semitic and really hurtful and hateful to Jewish students," said Charlie Margulies, a member of the campus Jewish group Hillel.

Organizers of the protest met with university officials Tuesday afternoon in what's been described as a negotiation. Student protest leaders demanding, among other things, that the university divest from companies that do business with Israel.

As the two sides met in a meeting, which was closed to the media, a demonstration outside kicked off with a group of students from six colleges across Baltimore, including Towson University and Goucher College, spoke out against the Hamas war--pro-Palestinians with their faces covered and no names used.

"We refuse to be silenced and we will not cease protest until we are heard," said one student.

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"It is our duty to recognize our position of privilege and refuse to be complicit in genocide," said another student.

For more than a week -- pro-Palestinian protesters have been camped out on Hopkins' campus.

That meeting on Tuesday afternoon was meant to bring some type of resolution.

But so far, no word of an agreement. The encampment is still standing.

"It's really frustrating that they're breaking school rules and there hasn't really been any consequences so far in an effort to move them off campus," said Margulies.