New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News
New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News
New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Inside the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at NYU

A WSN photographer’s reflection on covering campus protests.
Samson Tu, Creative Director
May 3, 2024
Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate on Gould Plaza holding a Palestinian flag and a sign that reads “No more dollar sign for Israel’s crimes.”
(Samson Tu for WSN)

As universities across the country continue to grapple with pro-Palestinian protests on their campuses — with some protesters having negotiated agreements to deescalate their actions, and other having been arrested just this week — NYU’s second encampment has proceeded in the face of threatened disciplinary action, failed negotiations and rainy weather. As the encampment outside the Paulson Center enters its seventh day, protesters and NYU administration appear to be at an impasse: students want their demands to be met before they leave the area, and the administration is standing firm against calls for divestment from Israel and closing its Tel Aviv site. 

Police returned to Paulson throughout the week, as large crowds of protesters joined NYU students from outside the metal barricades separating the encampment from the street. Following the May Day march in Manhattan, pro-Palestinian protesters and pro-Israeli counterprotesters gathered near the encampment, leading to a few tense moments and eventually an arrest.

Before the encampment at Paulson, protesters had been cleared out of another encampment at Gould Plaza, resulting in 133 arrests. The arrests, during which police forcefully pushed some protesters to the ground and used pepper spray on others, have given rise to disputes over what occurred at the plaza between NYU administration and several students and faculty. This photo essay documents the progression of pro-Palestinian protests at NYU since April 22, as well as counterprotesters that occurred during that time period.

N.Y.P.D. officers stand in a line on Gould Plaza in front of a crowd of pro-Palestinian protesters.
On April 22, New York City Police Department officers swept Gould Plaza starting from the south of the area. Police lined up in front of the steps at the plaza.
A protester arrested with a zip tie kneels on the floor as an N.Y.P.D. officer drags them across the ground.
Arresting officers searched, identified and zip-tied protesters before walking them out of Gould Plaza and onto the correctional buses on Mercer Street.
Three N.Y.P.D. officers walk in front of a correctional bus holding pepper sprays and batons.
NYPD officers holding batons and pepper spray cleared out protesters, legal aid workers and journalists on West Third Street to make way for correctional buses.
Two N.Y.P.D. officers walk in front of a correctional bus holding pepper spray and batons.
A group of pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate outside the Paulson Center at sunset holdings a sign that reads “Israeli Apartheid and Genocide funded by the U.S.”
Four days after the first encampment was cleared, NYU’s Palestine Solidarity Coalition created a second encampment outside the Paulson Center.
A line of N.Y.P.D. officers stand across protesters on the Greene Street Walkway.
A group of demonstrators from a protest organized by the NYU Graduate Student Organizing Committee relocated from Washington Square Park to join the encampment shortly after it was set up.
Participants of a protest organized by G.S.O.C. march down Bleecker Street toward the Paulson encampment.
Protesters from the Graduate Student Organizing Committee stand across N.Y.P.D. officers in front of the Paulson Center.
Fountain Walker and Timothy Beaudette stand in front of Greene Street Walkway.
Campus Safety head Fountain Walker (left) and NYPD deputy chief Timothy Beaudette (right) stood outside the Paulson Center as protesters gathered at the encampment there.
A sign that reads “Please Show N.Y.U. I.D.”
NYU cited the breaching of a barrier set up outside Gould Plaza by outside protesters as one of the causes for security concerns, leading the university to authorize the NYPD to sweep the plaza on Monday, April 22.
Four protesters carry tents walking out of the encampment at the Paulson Center.
Protesters who wanted to enter the new encampment at the Paulson Center were required to show their NYU ID, and police left the area after demonstrators agreed to take down their tents.
Three A.C.L.U. legal aid workers sit at the back of the encampment.
Legal aid workers document the protest from inside the encampment as demonstrators continue to gather outside.
Two protesters enter the Paulson Center security gate next to Campus Safety officers.
Groups of four protesters at a time were allowed to enter the Paulson Center to use the restroom by Campus Safety officers, provided that they showed their NYU ID when entering.
A group of protesters gather outside the Greene Street Walkway at dusk.
Two volunteers carry two boxes of food to the encampment.
Volunteers brought in food from several restaurants across the city and supplies to the encampment over the course of the protests.
A cafe worker carrying two boxes of coffee into the encampment.
Food and supplies are laid out on a bench inside the encampment.
Campus Safety officers confront counterprotesters. In the distance is a desk with a sign that reads “Israel is our homeland. Change our mind.”
Starting April 27, Campus Safety officers have guarded the encampment from outside protesters and counterprotesters.
A Campus Safety officer confronts a counterprotester.
Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters clash in front of the encampment outside the Paulson Center.
Campus Safety officers stood in a line in front of the encampment as pro-Israeli counterprotesters attempted to confront student protesters inside the encampment.
A line of Campus Safety officers confront pro-Israeli counterprotesters outside the Paulson Center.
A Campus Safety officer guards the barricade into the encampment.
Campus Safety officers at the Paulson Center have been constantly guarding the encampment, spending long hours near its entrance. Guards from private contractors could also be seen stationed outside Bobst Library and Schwartz Plaza.
A security guard from Allied Universal.
A protester points their middle fingers at pro-Israeli counterprotesters across the street.
A group of pro-Israeli counterprotesters hold up an Israeli flag across the street from the encampment, where pro-Palestinian protesters are chanting.
Counterprotesters holding Israeli flags stood across the street from the encampment.
A line of N.Y.P.D. officers form a barrier between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protesters across the street from the encampment.
Throughout the past week, confrontations have occurred mostly between non-student protesters on both sides. Campus Safety officers or the NYPD de-escalated confrontations as they occurred.
A Campus Safety officer stands in front of counterprotesters.
A sign attached to a barricade read “We do not engage with Zionists!”
Protesters at the encampment put up multiple signs reminding those inside not to engage with counterprotesters.
A protester blocks a cameraman with a black umbrella.
Encampment organizers and Campus Safety officers were cautious about outside press.
A Campus Safety officer takes a photo of a cameraman filming the encampment.
Students and faculty within the encampment expressed concerns that they might be identified online through images in the outside media.
Marisa Holmes speaks to protesters at the encampment.
Organizers scheduled programming, such as teach-ins and film screenings, for other protesters inside the encampment. They invited Occupy Wall Street organizer Marisa Holmes to speak to demonstrators.
A protester reads a newspaper inside the encampment.
Students in the encampment continued with their academic life: doing homework, reading and studying for their final exams.
A protester edits photos inside the encampment.
A collection of paintings, installations and posters inside the encampment.
Installations and drawings inside the encampment.
Paintings, drawings and chalk writings on the floor of the encampment.
"Liberate Palestine, long live the people" in Simplified Chinese.
A pink tent with pillows, blankets and a laptop inside.
The exterior of the encampment at night.
Two Campus Safety officers guard the encampment entrance at night,
A group of protesters engage with a group of passersby outside the encampment.
Students take turns guarding the encampment alongside Campus Safety officers.
Aerial view of protestors putting up blue tarps over supplies inside the encampment.
After protesters first took down their tents, they slept under tarps to avoid the rain and protected supplies with plastic bags.
Tents inside the encampment.
Negotiations reached a stalemate on Monday, and protesters put their tents back up amid rainy weather Tuesday night.
Protesters holding signs and Palestinian flags walk along Bleecker Street.
Protesters holding a black banner that reads “Free Palestine” outside The New School.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, outside protesters visited the Paulson encampment as part of larger pro-Palestinian rallies.
Protesters holding a yellow banner walk in front of The New School. A sign that reads “Disclose. Divest. We will not stop. We will not rest” is on the wall.
On Tuesday, a group of protesters visited encampments at various New York City universities.
Protesters inside the encampment lead those outside to chant. N.Y.P.D. officers monitor the protest from the side.
On Wednesday, May Day protesters came to the encampment at the Paulson Center.
N.Y.P.D. officers stand between protesters inside and outside the Paulson encampment.
NYPD officers returned to the site once again.
Protesters within the encampment hand out bottled water to those outside the barricade.
Students in the encampment hand bottled water to protesters outside.
Protesters within the encampment lead chants and dances in front of a line of N.Y.P.D. officers.
N.Y.P.D. officers stand guard across the street from the encampment.
Campus Safety officers stand in the empty Paulson Center lobby.
The university put the Paulson Center on lockdown Wednesday night as police attempted to de-escalate confrontations between protesters.
Two N.Y.P.D. officers arrest an agitator.
An agitator was arrested by NYPD officers, after playing loud music and approaching protesters. Demonstrators and NYPD officers dissipated at around midnight.
Three N.Y.P.D. officers in riot gear stand in the foreground. Cleaning staff clear out the encampment in the midground and media personnel set up cameras at the back.
At around 6 a.m. on May 3, police cleared the encampment outside the Paulson Center, leading to the arrests of 14 student protesters. Shortly after, university maintenance staff removed tents and supplies from the area.
Protesters confront N.Y.P.D. officers outside the Houston Street entrance to the Greene Street Walkway.
Fewer than 20 remaining protesters gathered outside the entrance to the encampment on Houston Street at the time WSN arrived on scene.
A Campus Safety car and a Department of Sanitation car park on Houston Street next to the confrontation between the N.Y.P.D. and the protesters.
Police kept protesters behind barricades as NYU Campus Safety and the city’s sanitation department arrived on site.
Cleaning staff use a pressure washer to clean the Greene Street Walkway.
NYU maintenance staff cleared out the encampment by 10 a.m.
Cleaning staff black trash bags inside the Paulson Center.
Tents and other personal belongings within the encampment were packed into black trash bags and taken inside the Paulson Center.
Two trucks park outside the Paulson Center. One is a party and tent rental truck and the other is a N.Y.U. Grounds and Waste truck.
An aerial view of the location of the encampment. Police stand guard behind the barricade as cleaning staff sweep the floor.
Three authorized personnel in civilian clothing talk in the encampment as a cleaning staff removes tape from the floor.
The scene of the entrance to the encampment before the sweep. Artworks are on display.
Protesters gather outside the Paulson Center. A banner that reads “Free Palestine” is on the floor.
A group of protesters engaging in self-defense training.
The scene of the entrance to the encampment after the sweep. Police guard the empty walkway.
A mostly empty sidewalk in front of the Paulson Center. A few police guard the entrance.
Three police stand guard on grass.
A sign that reads “Who will you arrest next, Linda?”
Six hours after the sweep, more than 100 students and faculty gathered outside Bobst Library, calling for NYU to meet pro-Palestinian protesters’ demands.
A counterprotester holding an Israeli flag confronts a protester in front of Bobst Library.
A pro-Israeli counterprotester attempted to disrupt the demonstration, and was escorted away by the NYPD.
A pro-Palestinian march passing through Washingont Square East.
At around 4 p.m., NYU and outside protesters rallied in front of the Paulson Center and proceeded to march near campus.
Pro-Palestinian protesters in a march in the foreground and police in riot gear in the background.
A protester and a counterprotester engage in verbal argument.
After the arrests, tensions appeared to rise in demonstrations.
A protester confronts a police officer.
Protesters confronted both NYPD officers and counterprotesters throughout the rally.
A helicopter flies above Washington Square Village.
A sign hanging out of a balcony that reads “Gaza in our hearts.”
An A.C.LU. legal observer run alongside a line of police in riot gear outside Bobst Library.
Over 100 NYPD officers, including members of the department’s Strategic Response Group, encircled the Paulson encampment as two helicopters hovered above the site.
A group of police officers walking along the Silver Center with a legal observer following them.
Legal observers followed the march from the Paulson to the pro-Palestinian encampment protest led by students at The New School.
Police handcuff a protester.
Police deterred legal observers from copying down the protester’s personal information as they were put in the back of a police van.
Police remove a counterprotester from Washington Square Park.
Protesters joined a Shabbat dinner service in Washington Square Park after the march. Right before the dinner, a counterprotester entered the area and began arguing with the demonstrators. A protester then pushed him, leading him to call out for police assistance. He was then removed from the scene by NYPD officers.
A torn sign that reads “Choose Respect” and another undamaged sign that reads “Keep each other safe.”

This photo essay has been updated with additional photos and captions

Contact Samson Tu at [email protected].

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