Pro-Palestine Duck Pond encampment in its third week as UNM warns to disperse

University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes said it is time for the Duck Pond encampment to disperse, while pro-Palestinian supporters say they are not ready to give up their cherished spot on the campus in Albuquerque.

UNM issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, informing staff, faculty and students that the encampment needed to be broken up by 5 p.m.

UNM standoff at duck pond encampment

Tuesday marked the 23rd straight day protesters have been at the pond, where about 150 people gathered late into the evening, some of them on the grass or in chairs. Others stood inside a fortress made of wooden pallets and pieces of cardboard, with signs advocating for Palestine and for UNM to divest from companies that invest in Israel.

Albuquerque Human Rights Board Chair Anami Dass said she appreciated UNM being patient with the protesters at the Duck Pond in recent weeks but was disappointed in its announcement to vacate the area.

Addressing the encampment

Earlier in the day, Stokes explained her thoughts on the protests at the site.

“To date, we have been tolerant of several significant policy violations at the UNM Duck Pond,” Stokes said. “While we recognize and respect the right to protest and the expression of diverse viewpoints, the encampment at the Duck Pond has posed several critical concerns.”

Among her concerns, she said: disrupting and harassing UNM employees; safety concerns through the building of unsafe structures; engaging in harassment and public urination and defecation.

“Over the past weeks, we have not cited anyone at the Duck Pond for ongoing violations of University policies,” Stokes said. “Despite this leniency, the number and severity of the violations have continued to increase.”

The Rev. Sarah TevisTownes of the Church of the Good Shepherd United Church said some of the things mentioned in the news release were not true, adding that some people misunderstand those at the encampment.

For example, she said they have been educating one another on the issues they are passionate about while also feeding people who stop by and donating clothes to the homeless.

“I’m disappointed that more administrators have not come out here to listen,” TevisTownes said.

‘Committed to continued dialogue’

Stokes said UNM’s announcement comes on the heels of an administration meeting with UNM Divestment Coalition students, who made a formal proposal for an Israel-Hamas cease-fire in Gaza, disclosure of UNM investment portfolios and divestment from any investments tied to Israel.

Ceryn Schoel, a UNM legal observer and law student, said the school’s decision to publicly disclose the results of its research into its investment portfolio by August 2024 is a good start.

But she said she would like to see “the school divest itself from companies that uphold Israeli apartheid” and contribute to killing and injuring innocent people.

Stokes said the school is “committed to continued dialogue and transparency with our entire community.”

“Please feel free to reach out via email to schedule a meeting with university leaders,” she said. “It is important to note that university leadership engages through direct communication and not through social media platforms.”