Pro-Palestinian protesters take over University of Chicago Institute of Politics building

Ellery Jones/Sun-Times

A group of pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago on Friday afternoon, demanding the university divest from Israel.

Around 5 p.m., a large group of protesters had surrounded the building as others occupied the building. Shortly after that, a group of Chicago Police Department officers, equipped with riot shields, burst into the building and scuffled with protesters.

Some protesters were seen climbing out of a second-story window, followed by police.

Police had cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment on the university's Main Quadrangle last Tuesday. On Friday afternoon, organizers had set up tents on the lawn in front of the Institute's building.

Ellery Jones/Sun-Times

By late afternoon, a crowd of several hundred had gathered around the building, including a handful who draped themselves in the Israeli flag.

Protesters have raised banners and pinned a Palestinian flag to the second floor of the building. A spray-painted banner, hanging on the building's porch, listed demands including "free Palestine" and "abolish the university."

For awhile, police tried to keep the crowd off the street to allow traffic to continue to pass. Eventually, however, Woodlawn Avenue was closed to vehicles by police.

On Instagram, UChicago United, which took part in organizing the encampment, declared the Institute of Politics the "Liberated Cashbah of Basel Al-Araj" for the Palestinian activist and writer who died in a gunfight with Israeli police in a raid in 2017.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.