UPenn Gaza camp occupiers issue guidelines telling students to ‘take more risk’ and ‘escalate’ protest
UPenn’s Gaza camp protesters at the west Philadelphia campus have been giving out guides detailing tactics for “escalating” their actions, including breaking into buildings, creating weapons, and providing first aid.
According to a document obtained by Fox News, the guides shared among protesters instruct activists on how to build shields from trash cans, barricade doors, and to cut through locks and chains with bolt cutters and angle grinders.
Footage of UPenn protest obtained by The Post Millennial:
One guide titled “Flood the Gates: Escalate” advocates for militant actions, stating “Let repression breed more resistance. We will not disavow any actions taken to escalate the struggle, including militant direct actions. Our notion of ‘safety’ in the imperial core is built on centuries of corpses, and this liberal framing of ‘safetyism’ prevents us from escalating and winning, which is our duty to Palestine and us all.”
“We keep us safe by escalating. Don’t hesitate to take more risk,” it continued. It was put out in the form of a foldable zine.
Another guide, the “Do-It Yourself Occupation Guide 2024,” offers detailed instructions on using tools like crowbars to pry open windows and doors during occupations.
“Use the straighter end of a crowbar to pry open windows and doors (such as in the hand over hand method). Use the slightly angled part as your fulcrum, pushing it against the window frame or door jamb,” the guide explained.
The guides also advised activists to establish a “propaganda team” to interact with media outlets and prepare statements to justify their actions.
The protests, part of the so-called “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” movement occurring on college campuses across the country, began over a week ago, with students calling on the university to divest its finances from Israel. The demonstrations have grown increasingly intense, and the university has reached out to the Philadelphia Police Department to assist in disbanding the encampment.
Footage of UPenn protest obtained by The Post Millennial:
“Protest activity began to escalate overnight and has steadily continued, with large crowds in and around College Green today. We have reached out to the City of Philadelphia to ensure we have the necessary resources to keep our community safe,” a university spokesperson said, per Fox News.