Pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupied an engineering building at the University of Washington on Monday, May 5, demanding the institution cut ties with Boeing over its defense contracts. The group Super UW took responsibility for the occupation, renaming the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building the Shaban al-Dalou Building.
A few dozen individuals initially entered the building just before its scheduled closure, according to UW police. Protesters reportedly stacked furniture near entry points. A crowd gathered outside the building through the night. A dumpster fire occurred near the protest site on campus and was extinguished by fire crews.
UW police stated individuals remaining inside were trespassing and would face legal and student conduct actions. The department contacted the Seattle Police Department for mutual aid assistance, and an SPD task force was mobilized.
The IEB, which cost $102 million to construct, received a $10 million donation from Boeing. Protesters' demands included removing Boeing influence and donations from the university, repurposing the building into a community-controlled space, and ending repression against pro-Palestine activism, specifically citing concerns for students facing scrutiny over immigration status by the federal government.
Super UW spokesperson Eric Horford told a local news outlet, "We’re hoping to remove the influence of Boeing and other manufacturing companies from our educational space, period." He added the group was present to negotiate with the university.
The occupation comes over a year after pro-Palestinian protesters established an encampment on the campus Quad. Last March, the UW Board of Regents rejected the formation of an Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing (ACSRI), a step protestors viewed as necessary for initiating divestment from companies like Boeing.
Separately, concerns have been raised about expressions of support for the Hamas-led October 7 massacre among some pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Washington. Flyers reportedly including credit to the "Hamas Media Office" and T-shirts referencing the event have been observed.
Sigal Buchman, representing Hillel on campus, stated she alerted university administrators, who she says cited technical violations regarding sales on campus rather than addressing the promotion of terrorism or incitement. Buchman also described chants she witnessed that praised figures associated with Hamas, calling them "a clear call to violence."
University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce reportedly cited the First Amendment when questioned about the flyers, according to Buchman, but sent police regarding the unauthorized sales. Cauce's home and car were vandalized, and her tires slashed, in what police termed a targeted attack late last year.
Jewish students and groups, including the UW Jewish Alumni Association, have expressed disappointment and concern over the campus climate. Student Marni Merritt wrote of feeling abandoned by peers and university leadership since October 7. Another student, identified by the initials E.O., recounted feeling unsafe on campus and hiding a Star of David necklace during the prior encampment.
