University of Denver officials are eyeing disciplinary action against pro-Palestinian protesters who don’t comply with campus policy, adding they have also seen instances of antisemitism from the encampment. 

“Despite our efforts to promote free expression, engage in listening, and maintain safety, the situation has continued with intentional disregard for university policy and a troubling increase in reports of unacceptable behavior, including antisemitism and disruption,” DU Chancellor Jeremy Haefner, Provost Mary Clark and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Todd Adams said in a statement. 

The pro-Palestinian activists set up the encampment at the private university’s Carnegie Green quad starting on Thursday afternoon. For now, university officials said they are allowing the encampment to stand but added that its long-term feasibility depends on the “health, safety, sanitation, and disruption to the university operations.”

Officials warned that only current students, faculty and staffers may join the the overnight protests and encampments, and they must strictly adhere to a campus policy on protests.    

Notably, university officials said they would require a “visual check” of university IDs and clarified the security step won’t be used for “punitive” purposes.

They said that, throughout the weekend, they have “various instances of noncompliance from encampment participants, including refusal to show university-issued ID upon request.”

“Our ability to maintain campus safety is dependent upon everyone’s compliance with university policy,” the officials said. “As a reminder, noncompliance will continue to result in immediate referral to Student Rights and Responsibilities or the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX, as appropriate, for thorough review and appropriate action, which can include interim suspension as warranted.”

Similar to protests elsewhere in the country, the group of students calling itself “DU For Palestine” is calling for the university’s divestment from Israeli companies, a move that’s tantamount to an economic sanction. 

In the statement, DU officials clarified that they have not threatened to arrest any students or to “sweep” the encampment. 

But the university said protesters who are not part of the DU community are prohibited from joining and DU “has the right to remove them without notice.”

For the past three weeks, a much larger encampment has been growing at downtown Denver’s Auraria Campus. What started out with a dozen or so tents late in April has grown to roughly 60 tents.

Auraria Campus officials earlier described an escalating health and safety situation arising out of the pro-Palestinian encampment, noting that feces now litter the area, some have observed drug paraphernalia and homeless people have also now set up tents.

At the Denver Coliseum on Saturday, protesters briefly interrupted University of Colorado Denver’s graduation. They also protested outside the coliseum on Friday during Metropolitan State University’s graduation ceremony.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said the successful graduation ceremonies have released “some of the tension with these big events.”

“What we’ve been after is trying to make space for peaceful protest and to protect the overall functioning of the campus and the security of the rest of the students,” Johnston said.

DU’s graduation is scheduled for June 14.

“As we head into a new week, we remain dedicated to maintaining a safe, respectful environment for all students, faculty and staff,” Haefner and other DU officials said.

“At the end of the day,” they added, “we have a responsibility to thousands of students who are diligently studying and readying themselves for the end of the term.”

Denver Gazette reporter Alex Edwards and 9News contributed to this report.