1 person arrested at protest at the University of Pittsburgh; Cathedral of Learning closed

PITTSBURGH — Protesters gathered outside the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning just before 6 p.m. on Sunday.

PHOTOS: Protesters gather at the University of Pittsburgh

Some tents were set up on the lawn outside of the Cathedral.

At 7:21 p.m. Pitt Police said the Cathedral of Learning and William Pitt Union would be closed until further notice. They also believe traffic will be impacted near Forbes Avenue and Bigelow Blvd.

Protesters say they stand with the people of Palestine.

“People are demanding an end to genocide, and in this country, we’re demanding an end to U.S. Military aid to Israel,” said Kate Daher, who supports the demonstration.

“We defend and support their work. We want them to be able to talk to the chancellor, and Joan Gabel should be here. They’ve done this before, she’s ignoring them,” Daher said.

One person was detained at the protest while Channel 11 was at the scene.

We got the criminal complaint for Donald Johnson, who, Pitt police say was preventing officers from doing their duties by using his body as a barrier as protesters were running cases of water toward the encampment. Police said they do not have a permit for food or water.

Protesters are calling for the University of Pittsburgh to sever any ties with Israel or companies promoting the Israel-Hamas War.

“Even in the off-season, even when the majority of Pitt students are not here, we are able to mobilize this massive force, so we want the administration to be absolutely sure that we will not relent. We will continue to struggle until our demands are met,” said a supporter of the encampment, who didn’t want to be identified.

View the document below for a full list of demands from the protesters.

A smaller group of people touting the flag of Israel and an American flag also arrived at the scene.

The war began on Oct. 7 after Hamas attacked Israel’s Southern border and around 1,200 people were killed. Over 36,430 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israel’s offensive, the Gaza Health Ministry reports. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

A very large police presence has been monitoring the situation. Channel 11 has reached out to Pitt police for further comment and has not heard back.

Early Monday morning, a Pitt spokesman sent the following statement:

“At approximately 6:00 p.m. on June 2, two demonstrations taking place in Oakland converged on the Cathedral of Learning lawn. The group of demonstrators quickly erected wooden barricades, fencing, and other structures with tents inside. Due to the number of protestors present, University of Pittsburgh Police are working with the City of Pittsburgh Police, Allegheny County Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Carnegie Mellon University and Carlow University. We continue to monitor the situation and, as of 11 p.m., one arrest has been made on-site by the University of Pittsburgh Police Department. The person arrested was charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and obstruction and is not affiliated with the University.”

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2024 Cox Media Group