A pair of House Republicans are questioning why the D.C. Metro Police Department refuses to clear out the pro-Palestinian encampments on the George Washington University campus.
In their letter, Republican Reps. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina and James Comer of Kentucky said they were “alarmed” by reports that the police department rejected university officials’ request to remove the “radical, antisemitic and unlawful protestors” on the school’s campus.
“It is deeply disturbing that while GWU has attempted to take concrete measures to protect the safety of Jewish student body from persecution and harassment, they are hindered by the MPD’s refusal to provide assistance clearing out the encampment, over fears of public criticism,” says the letter, which was addressed to Mayor Muriel Bowser and Chief Pamela Smith.
This letter comes as more than 100 tents are set up on the university’s campus as the protests reach day six, according to the GW Hatchet, the university newspaper.
Ms. Foxx and Mr. Comer take issue with the police department and mayor not doing anything to end the protest, especially after non-university attendees joined the protest and breached barricades put up by the police.
Protesters tore down barricades and piled them up on the campus lawn on Sunday.
“The inaction of the MPD and the District of Columbia is out of sync with police departments and local governments nationwide which have responded to similar requests for help from universities to clear out unlawful encampments in states such as Missouri, Massachusetts and others,” the letter says.
The lawmakers threatened the district with use of Congress’ plenary legislative authority if nothing is done about the protesters on GW’s campus.
Ms. Fox chairs the House Education and Workforce Committee and Mr. Comer leads the Oversight and Accountability Committee.
The lawmakers also requested answers to three questions no later than May 9.
The questions are why the mayor’s office and police department have refused GWU’s calls for assistance in removing the encampments; what conditions need to be met before the police department assists the school in removing the encampment; and how the police department’s refusal to help the university in clearing out the encampments maintains the department’s own mission statement.
In response, an MPD spokesperson said the department “regularly supports peaceful First Amendment activities through the District of Columbia. MPD does not comment on operational tactics and procedures.”
“The George Washington University Police Department has the lead in the response to First Amendment demonstrations occurring on GWU grounds. Since Thursday, MPD has stood in support of its response,” the spokesperson said. “Demonstrations are also occurring on public space adjacent to the university. MPD will continue to monitor this First Amendment activity, both on and off GWU property. This activity has remained peaceful.”
The Washington Times has reached out to the mayor’s office for comment.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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