This is a developing story, check back for updates.

Update, 12:18 a.m., April 27

An unidentified speaker announced to the encampment that remaining protesters — of which there are around 60 — will be staying overnight and advised those choosing to stay to enter through the barricade. Around five Campus Safety officers are stationed outside the Paulson Center and the barricade, and there are currently no New York City Police Department officers at the scene.

Update, 9:30 p.m.

An Emergency Medical Technician is now on-site at the encampment, and said they are there in case of a medical emergency and to provide menstrual products and water.

Update, 9:12 p.m.

Protesters on the NYU student side of the encampment have collected blankets, sheets, yoga mats and pillows. A New York City Police Department drone can be seen hovering above the area.

Update, 8:46 p.m.

Organizers are passing pizza around to protesters, while one student reads poetry to the crowd. Two New York City Police Department officers remain in the Paulson Center lobby, and a police van is currently parked on Bleecker Street.

Update, 8:34 p.m.

Organizers are asking protesters to bring yoga mats and blankets for students to sit and lie down on to the encampment area, as all tents have been removed.

Update, 8:13 p.m.

Student organizers are reading their demands, which include that NYU divest from companies with ties to Israel, close its Tel Aviv site, remove New York City Police Department officers from campus and pardon and disciplinary action taken against pro-Palestinian student protesters, out loud to the crowd.

Update, 8:02 p.m.

In a written statement to WSN, NYU spokesperson John Beckman said that if the protest continues to be peaceful and demonstrators do not re-build the now-removed tents or violate the university’s protest guidelines, NYU does “not anticipate the need for further intervention.”

“Earlier tonight, a group of protesters temporarily established an encampment on the Greene St. Walkway between Bleecker and Houston St. in violation of the university rules,” Beckman wrote. “The protesters were notified that they must remove the tents. They have now done so, which has significantly de-escalated the situation.”

Update, 7:42 p.m.

Protesters on the NYU student side of the encampment are sitting on the ground, and organizers are leading a Shabbat sermon.

Update, 7:39 p.m.

The same protester who had previously spoken to Campus Safety head Fountain Walker said that Campus Safety officers had told them police would return if protesters jumped the barricades. Around six New York City Police Department officers are eating food inside the Paulson Center lobby. There are four NYPD correctional buses parked on 14th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Update, 7:32 p.m.

New York City Police Department officers have left the Bleecker Street and Houston Street sides of the encampment.

Update, 7:28 p.m.

New York City Police Department officers coming from the far south side of the Paulson Center are approaching the NYU student part of the encampment.

Update, 7:26 p.m.

Campus Safety head Fountain Walker told WSN that the encampment is now closed, and denied entry to one protester who attempted to enter. About six Campus Safety officers have replaced the New York City Police Department officers who were stationed outside the entrance to the encampment on the Green Street walkway.

Update, 7:22 p.m.

Protesters are continuing to take down tents in the encampment. Around 10 New York City Police Department officers and Campus Safety head Fountain Walker entered the encampment from the NYU student side, but quickly retreated back into the Paulson Center lobby. Most police officers that had been on Paulson’s west side have entered the building.

Update, 7:20 p.m.

At least two professional media workers attempted to enter the encampment, with student protesters trying to stop them. One student protester spoke to the crowd, saying “If you are not an NYU student do not enter the encampment; if you are telling your non-NYU comrades to join tell them to join outside the encampment.”

Update, 7:14 p.m.

Campus Safety head Fountain Walker entered the encampment from the NYU student side with a megaphone in hand. Walker attempted to speak to the protesters, but was heckled and left shortly afterward, re-entering the Paulson Center. An unidentified protester who spoke to Walker said he told them police would be switching shifts to use the bathroom.

Update, 7:05 p.m.

Protesters are booing at New York City Police Department officers in riot gear. Campus Safety head Fountain Walker has entered the encampment and is speaking to protesters.

Update, 6:59 p.m.

Around 20 New York City Police Department officers in riot gear are lining up on the Paulson Center’s west side.

Update, 6:51 p.m.

Organizers are allowing students holding up NYU IDs to enter the part of the encampment closed to non-NYU affiliates. Around seven police officers are now inside the Paulson Center, and there are 10 more NYPD officers at the building’s Houston Street entrance.

Update, 6:42 p.m.

Student protesters are removing tents at the direction of New York City Police Department officers, as a condition of keeping police outside the encampment. NYPD officers are wearing helmets and carrying batons, and student protesters are linking arms.

6:27 p.m. 

Over 200 demonstrators have reestablished a pro-Palestinian encampment outside the Paulson Center, after a previous encampment at Gould Plaza was cleared by New York City Police Department officers earlier this week. The encampment is among an increasing number of similar protests across U.S. college campuses, some of which have lasted several days.

The encampment, which is located on the Greene Street Walk on Paulson’s west side, is divided by a barricade separating two groups of protesters — NYU students and non-NYU affiliates. Around 10 NYPD and Campus Safety officers are lining up outside the encampment keeping non-NYU affiliated protesters from entering and directing student protesters to move from the sidewalk to the grass. Students and faculty inside the building are being told to shelter in place, according to a Campus Safety officer. 

The encampment currently comprises around 15 tents, with signs taped to the floor and supplies organized in a large pile. The Houston Street entrance to the building has been blocked by barricades, and around 30 police officers are positioned around the building. There are around 15 officers lined up within the barricade and nine police vans stationed near the building. A police officer at the scene is holding zip ties and dozens of officers are currently putting on riot gear. 

Protesters are calling on the university to cut ties with Israel, chanting “disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest” and “shut down NYU Tel Aviv.” NYU spokesperson John Beckman had previously told WSN that it would not consider divesting from companies with connections to Israel.

The encampment comes after the United Auto Workers union organized a demonstration in Washington Square Park earlier in the day, where over 100 demonstrators gathered to criticize the university’s handling of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. Protesters then left the park to join the ongoing protests outside the Paulson Center.

Under the Restrictive Declaration, an agreement that determines land use requirements for construction projects, that includes the Greene Street Walk, NYU must provide “the general public permanent, perpetual and non-exclusive public access” to the walkway and all other areas categorized as landscape improvements, and specifically says that the Greene Street Walk “shall be open at all times” to the public. 

The area can be closed in emergency situations such as in the case of “security alerts, riots, casualties, disasters, or other events endangering public safety or property,” for 48 hours, after which the university must consult with the NYPD or the Department of Buildings to continue to keep the area closed.

A university spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Aashna Miharia and Dharma Niles contributed reporting.

Contact Adrianna Nehme, Carmo Moniz, Mariapaula Gonzalez and Yezen Saadah at [email protected].