The University of Pennsylvania, along with other Ivy League institutions such as Columbia, Yale, Harvard, and Princeton, is currently dealing with anti-Israel protests on its campus. In response to the situation, the university reportedly locked down Van Pelt Library early Thursday morning.
According to sources, Allied Security guards stationed at the library's front desk, along with Penn Police, are allowing students inside the building to leave, but no other students are being permitted to enter. The duration of the lockdown remains uncertain at this time.
The events leading up to the lockdown included anti-Israel protesters breaching barricades surrounding the Gaza Solidarity Encampment during an 8 p.m. rally at the Ben Franklin Statue on College Green the previous evening. As a result, celebrations for outgoing seniors from the Class of 2024 and incoming seniors from the Class of 2025 were relocated to alternative venues on campus.
The situation at the University of Pennsylvania highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the impact it is having on academic institutions across the United States. The university's decision to lock down Van Pelt Library underscores the need for heightened security measures during times of heightened activism and protest on campus.
