UPennAlert

Large Demonstration

UPennAlert: Large demonstration in the area of College Green. Police are on scene, use caution, avoid the area.

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The Division of Public Safety has developed a few helpful risk reduction strategies outlined below. Know that it is never the fault of the person impacted (victim/survivor) by crime.

  • Stay out of immediate area.
  • Stay alert and reduce distractions; using cellphones, ear buds, etc. may limit your awareness.
  • Orient yourself to your surroundings. (Identify your location, nearby exits, etc.)
  • Utilize 24/7/365 Walking Escort services (215-898-WALK/9255).
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The Division of Public Safety will continue to ensure the highest level of safety and security for our community.

Emergencies 215-573-3333 / 511 (campus phone)
General Information 215-898-7297
Special Services 215-898-4481 (215-898-6600 off-hours)
HELP Line 215-898-HELP (4357)
DPS Headquarters 4040 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Update UPennAlert Info PennGuardian Registration
Walking Escort 215-898-WALK (9255)
Penn Transit Ride 215-898-RIDE (7433)
April 26, 2024

A Message from Interim President Larry Jameson

4/25/24
: To our Penn community,
Late yesterday afternoon, a group of individuals led a series of protests that began at Temple University and traveled to Philadelphia City Hall and to Drexel University. At approximately 4:00 p.m., these protestors arrived on Locust Walk, joining with members of our Penn community.
Penn’s Division of Public Safety, in partnership with local law enforcement, was informed of these pending demonstrations and worked to initiate safety plans in anticipation of the protestors arriving on our campus.
Like many other colleges and universities across the country, Penn now has an encampment of protestors, with 10 tents currently on College Green. We are closely monitoring the encampment to ensure the safety of the Penn community and the protestors.
Penn has and will continue to support the rights of our community members to protest peacefully and in keeping with University policy. At Penn, we will stand up for free speech and the productive exchange of ideas, even when we disagree.
We will not stand by, however, if protected protest and speech deteriorate into words and actions that violate Penn’s policies, disrupt University business, or contribute to an intimidating or hostile environment on our campus. We are assessing the details of the protest through this lens and will take follow-up action as appropriate.
Safety is, and will continue to be, our top priority, and there will be consequences for actions that are not permitted by University policies or local, state, or federal law. We recognize that this encampment may cause fear and anxiety by the very fact of it being on our campus. Please don’t hesitate to access Penn’s safety and wellness resources, which can be found here.
When protestors arrived on our campus yesterday, I joined with members of the Penn community in a listening session during which speakers shared passionate views and painful experiences. I left inspired by the collective commitment to productive exchange, mutual respect, and care for one another and was gratified to see it on full display. This event served as a reminder that as a University community, we can engage thoughtfully and respectfully on the hard issues and questions of this moment. These conversations are important and must continue, and you have my commitment that they will.
4/26/24: An update to the Penn community,
At Penn, we pursue our academic mission guided by fundamental commitments to upholding freedom of inquiry and open expression, while maintaining a safe, inclusive, and respectful campus community.
Over the last 24 hours, we have closely monitored the protest that evolved into an encampment on College Green. We have vigilantly supported the rights of our community members to protest peacefully. Representatives from Open Expression, University Life, and faculty leadership have engaged with some of the protestors, with limited access to the broader group.
Unfortunately, blatant violations of University policies and credible reports of harassing and intimidating conduct compel us to protect the safety and security of our campus community.
The encampment itself violates the University’s facilities policies. The harassing and intimidating comments and actions by some of the protesters, which were reported and documented by many in our community, violate Penn’s open expression guidelines and state and federal law, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. All members of our community deserve to access our facilities without fear of harassment or being subjected to discriminatory comments or threats.
The vandalism of the statue in front of College Hall with antisemitic graffiti was especially reprehensible and will be investigated as a hate crime.
As we have repeatedly emphasized, we will uphold free speech and the productive exchange of ideas, but we will not allow any actions that harass, threaten, or intimidate others. We have also said that the safety of our community is paramount, and we will live up to our commitment.
I am deeply saddened and troubled that our many efforts to respectfully engage in discourse, support open expression, and create a community that is free of hate and inclusive for everyone have been ignored by those who choose to disrupt and intimidate.
We have notified the protestors of their legal and policy violations. Failure to disband the encampment immediately and to adhere to Penn’s policies will result in sanctions consistent with our due process procedures as they apply to students, faculty, and staff.
Sincerely,
J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD
Interim President
John L. Jackson, Jr.
Provost
Craig R. Carnaroli
Senior Executive Vice President