DC police clear GWU encampment ahead of mayor testifying to Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Officers with Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department finally cleared out the anti-Israel encampment at George Washington University early Wednesday morning.

The encampment at GWU had been in place for weeks and was unique among the wave of camps across the country because GWU leadership had asked D.C. city leaders early on to remove the camp, but the mayor and police chief refused. The college has said its police department is not equipped to handle crowd control.

The encampment grew in size after it became clear the protesters were not going to be removed anytime soon. Occupiers took down the American flag that was on a flagpole, causing tension when police tried to replace it. The school then draped a large American flag on a building overlooking the camp, much to the occupiers' annoyance.

The city's mood changed following protesters marching on President Ellen Granberg's home Tuesday evening. The police were finally given the order to clear occupiers. Police gave warnings to people in the camp to leave or be arrested. After the crowd refused to leave, police went inside the occupied zone around 3:30 a.m., with the camp declared cleared around 30 minutes later.

Videos from that time showed police using pepper spray on protesters who actively resisted the police line.

Police arrested 37 adults and one juvenile. Four were charged with assault of a police officer while everyone arrested was charged with unlawful entry.

Police also removed the keffiyeh and Palestinian flags that were placed on the George Washington statue by camp occupiers. Some protesters did leave the camp, but they stayed around trying to figure out what to do next. Whenever police officers passed by the crowd, protesters heckled and yelled profanities at the officers.

Cleared anti-Israel encampment at George Washington UniversityJulio Rosas/Blaze Media

The operation to remove the encampment came ahead of Bowser's testimony to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform that was set to take place later today.

"Interesting. The day when Mayor Bowser is testifying on Capitol Hill, she sends D.C. police to clear the encampment at GWU. Coincidence? I think not," Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) posted on X.

Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the Oversight Committee, said because the operation to remove the trespassers was cleared, the hearing had been canceled.

GWU staff was in charge of picking up the trash and tents from the encampment.

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