SEATTLE — Sound Transit's University of Washington light rail station is back open after being closed temporarily due to a protest Tuesday evening.
Law enforcement requested the station be closed during the demonstration, according to a Sound Transit spokesperson.
The university announced it was "tracking multiple events" that were planned for Tuesday evening. Disruptions are most likely in the central area of the university's campus near the Husky Union Building, The Quad and light rail station at Husky Stadium, according to the university.
"Our priority is the safety and security of our campus community," a statement from the university reads. "We recognize that tensions are especially high due to events around the world, and our hope is that people with opposing views refrain from seeking confrontations and avoid antagonizing one another. We do not detail or share security plans in advance of events, but are taking appropriate advance measures."
This was after a statue at the entrance of the university was vandalized overnight. It was covered in red paint and graffiti that read "UW-funded genocide."
Recently, protesters have set up camp on the university's campus, demanding it cut ties with Israel and Boeing and stop silencing Palestinian voices.
The Progressive Student Union at UW and UW United Front for Palestinian Liberation have joined efforts in their demands.
They're specifically targeting the university's connection to Boeing because of the company's defense unit and military work. According to its website, Boeing has maintained offices in Israel since 1969. It has a corporate office in Tel Aviv. Reporting from Bloomberg found Boeing rushed thousands of GPS-guided bomb kits to Israel in the wake of the October 7 Hamas Attack.
Protestors plan to stay until their demands are met. The Chabad at the university also set up a tent to provide support for Jewish students.
That day, Hamas killed 1,139 people and took 253 hostages. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, including 25,000 women and children. Thousands more are injured. More than a million Palestinians are displaced. This is what's spurred college students into action.
Over the past few weeks, police have made arrests of college students across the country amid violent clashes. At the University of Washington, however, things have remained relatively peaceful. Organizers previously said they were determined to keep it that way because they see what’s happening elsewhere.