DC police chief: 33 arrested at GWU anti-Israel encampment after signs of potential violence

Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said 33 people were arrested at the anti-Israel encampment at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning.

During a press conference, Smith explained that police decided to intervene after the initially peaceful protest began to escalate and showed risks of violence. Police began to suspect the protest was becoming "more volatile and less stable" after an officer as pushed by protesters and an item was grabbed out of his hand last Thursday, Smith said.

Other indicators included, "police security probing of a G.W. building, indicators that counter-demonstrators were covertly in the encampment and information that protesters from other schools were traveling to GW. In addition, items that could potentially be used for offensive and defensive weapons were being gathered," Smith said.

After consulting with Mayor Muriel Bowser, police decided to act and gave multiple warnings to the demonstrators to disperse. After six dispersal announcements, police entered the encampment and began to make arrests for unlawful entry and assault on a police officer. 

Following the arrests, additional protesters appeared outside the police perimeter. Officers and protesters clashed at 20th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and police deployed pepper spray and made some arrests, according to the chief. 

Mayor Bowser thanked Metropolitan Police for their response and affirmed the right of people to protest peacefully. 

"I want to be clear that our responses to demonstrations is always rooted in public safety and constitutional responsibility, and the chief and her team are the experts in public safety and always have the final word on hour our resources are deployed," Bowser said.