Protesters dodge 'camping policy' on fourth day of 'Purdue Liberation Zone'

Students and protesters sat circled around a professor on Memorial Mall, sitting on tarps and blankets and surrounded by tents blowing violently in the wind. Behind them was a structure seemingly built over night, tarps tossling in the breeze.

“Don’t we stand for open inquiry?” asked Bill Mullen, emeritus professor of English and American Studies.

For four days, students have stayed out on the lawn, narrowly avoiding university regulations against camping on university property.

Protests and encampments have been taking place around the country, including recently at Indiana University, but where Purdue differs is the lack of a police presence at its protest.

Arjun Janakan, co-chair of the labor working group for the Young Democratic Socialists of America, one of the groups leading the Memorial Mall encampment, said the “Liberation Zone’s” communication with the police has been “vague”.

“We haven't personally talked to a police officer in a bit,” Janakan said. Behind him, a car idled which he said he believed to be an undercover police vehicle.

“(There are) lights on the sides and inside, you can see a police scanner and a radio,” he said, when nobody was visible in the vehicle at the time.

The “Liberation Zone” has been altering the nature of the protest to comply with university guidelines, specifically their “no-camping” policy.

“The rules about camping, which (is defined) as anything that looks like camping, is camping,” Janakan said. “It’s been kind of a gray area.”

According to Purdue’s “use of facilities” policies, camping is not allowed “except in designated areas and unless approved by the CFO, Chancellor or authorized representative.”

Sophomore Raisa Deotale, co-chair of the YDSA, said the group has talked to “university admin” about complying to the policies, but that their dialogue has been difficult.

“We are allowed to stay here the night, however, Purdue administration has brought up this policy that there is no sleeping on campus,” Deotale said. “We … will work with Purdue, however, we find it to be a little targeted because students do sleep on campus.”

As a response, the “Liberation Zone” deconstructs their tents at 11 p.m. and holds “night shifts” to make sure somebody is always there. But it’s during these “shifts” that they find more interaction with the students around campus, Deotale said, specifically the ones coming back from the nightlife scene.

“When we have drunk students walking past us who need help, we offer resources to them, we've given them water … we walk them back home if needed,” she said. “We found out that a lot of students will come to us, drunk or sober … and just ask questions (about) what exactly is happening in Palestine. And the reality is that a lot of people don't know.”

With finals week starting Monday, Janakan said that they see no stop yet.

“Our thing is, ‘Hey, if after you finish a final or if studying the night before, just come hang out for a bit in between finals. Why not,’” Janakan said. “There's no planned end dates for the encampment. ”

As Mullen finished his speech and the crowd applauded from their lawn chairs and atop tarps, the Boilermaker Special turned onto State Street, silently passing a sign that said “Honk if u (heart) Palestine.”

“Let’s stay here until we win,” Mullen said.