University officials on Thursday described deteriorating conditions at the Auraria Campus as the pro-Palestinian activists have become more emboldened.

In the last few days, the activists have destroyed the sod in the quad and trashed an office, said the officials, who also noted the graffiti and vandalism in the area. Homeless people have moved into the encampment, which has grown to 110 “structures” on the quad, they added. 

“The perception of our campus is it’s not safe,” Devra Ashby, a spokesperson for the Auraria Higher Education Center, said in a news conference.

Auraria Campus officials didn’t provide details about additional security on campus. Ashby on Tuesday said campus officials have requested additional support, but didn’t say Thursday whether or not this included asking Denver to sweep the encampment.

“It’s our standard protocol not to discuss safety and security plans in detail,” Ashby said.

In an email, the spokesperson told The Denver Gazette damages to the campus involved destroying the sod in the quad, graffiti tagging and vandalism, as well as the cost of cleaning up the quad, including paying for a hazmat team that handled a spill from an illegal toilet.

“This is not an easy issue to solve in one day,” Ashby said.

The protesters occupied and trashed an office at University of Colorado Denver on Monday.

On Tuesday, protestors occupied the Tivoli Student Union on the Auraria Campus and set up tents inside the building. The protestors yelled chants and banged on trash cans, disrupting campus operations, Auraria Campus officials said.

Damages, which also include event cancellations due to the encampment, have cost the Auraria Campus $290,000 — and counting.

“Several acts of trespassing and interference are not examples of peaceful protests. We will not tolerate chronic intimidation, campus chaos and business disruptions,” Ashby said.

Ashby said thousands of middle schoolers were supposed to visit the campus on Thursday, but canceled “due to safety concerns,” she said.

The number of those who have been arrested or cited for trespassing has reached 80 protesters. Out of the total, 16 are students on the Auraria Campus and three are faculty members, according to Ashby.

Roughly half of the protesters on the Tivoli quad, or those involved in disturbances, have been students. This was determined by comparing arrests and citation information against campus enrollment, the Auraria Campus spokesperson said.

Some at the encampment have been homeless people, Ashby previously said.

The University of Colorado Board of Regents weighed in on the protests Thursday. 

“We support the rights of our students, faculty, staff and campus visitors to exercise their First Amendment rights,” the regents said. “We expect everyone to respect the learning, teaching and business environment that allows our university to function at its fullest extent.”

“Those who engage in expressive conduct are expected to comply with relevant laws, policies and conduct codes that are intended to create a safe learning environment. Consequences will be imposed as applicable for those who don’t comply with these laws, policies and conduct codes,” they added. 

Demonstrators at the Auraria Campus said they are prepared to “defend” the encampment until their demands — notably divestment from companies that operate in Israel — are met.

In a letter to Auraria Campus leaders posted on social media platform X, protesters detailed other demands, such as asking Metropolitan State University to not approve study abroad credits in places where students would be denied entry based on race or ethnicity.

Protesters also demanded that the activists arrested or cited for trespassing be acquitted of all charges.

In similar protests across the country, activists have called on universities to “divest” from Israeli companies, a call that is tantamount to economic sanctions.

On Thursday morning, two major universities swept pro-Palestinian encampments on its campuses: UC Irvine in Southern California and DePaul University in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Over a dozen protesters were arrested at UC Irvine, while two protesters were arrested at DePaul, according to the Associated Press.

Denver Gazette reporter Nico P. Brambilla and the Associated Press contributed to this report.