Pennsylvania State Representative Allegedly Alerted Protesters of Impending Police Crackdown

Early in May, a Pennsylvania state lawmaker reportedly alerted members of the University of Pennsylvania’s anti-Israel encampment about a “credible threat” of a police sweep.

According to the Washington Examiner, Representative Rick Krajewski, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, shared the warning in a group chat, stating that the sweep was imminent within the “next 24 hours.”

This warning gave the group time to remove equipment before law enforcement tore down the encampment on May 10, as reported by the outlet.

One protester urgently called for support in response to the warning, mentioning that there was a credible threat of a sweep relayed by Rick Krajewski and requesting assistance to defend and fortify the camp.

The term “Reds” was used to refer to a subset of UPenn anti-Israel protesters who were willing to risk arrest, according to the outlet.

Subsequent messages revealed that encampment members discussed bringing materials like chains, bike locks, wood planks, boards, and pallets to reinforce the camp in preparation for a potential sweep.

As they awaited the sweep, discussions revolved around removing sharps and power tools, among other items, to avoid escalation during the police action.

During the night, a “Red” protester claimed they had received a “two-minute warning.”

Krajewski, who has publicly supported what he termed “Penn’s anti-war encampment” and visited the site, did not immediately respond to a request for comment, as per the outlet.