Documents obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital show that anti-Israel radicals on the University of Pennsylvania campus are circulating numerous guides instructing agitators on how to break into buildings, “escalate” protests, construct weapons, and administer first aid.
“Let repression fuel greater resistance. We will not disavow any actions taken to escalate the struggle, including militant direct actions. Our idea of ‘safety’ in the imperial core rests on centuries of corpses, and this liberal framing of ‘safetyism’ prevents us from escalating and succeeding, which is our duty to Palestine and all of us. We keep ourselves safe by escalating. Don’t be afraid to take more risks,” one guide titled “FLOOD THE GATES: ESCALATE” reads.
A source with access to activists on Penn’s campus provided Fox News Digital with a 52-page document containing various guides for radicals. The manuals instruct student activists and outside radicals on constructing shields from trash cans and barricading doors effectively. They also advise that bolt cutters are the best tool for cutting padlocks, while angle grinders are best for slicing through locks, bolts, and chains.
“Use the straighter end of a crowbar to pry open windows and doors (such as in the hand over hand method). Use the slightly angled portion as your fulcrum, applying pressure against the window frame or doorframe,” the “Do-It-Yourself Occupation Guide 2024” explains. The guide advises activists not to pry a crowbar toward their face.
A university spokesman declined to comment on the guides when contacted by Fox News Digital on Thursday.
Penn, located in Philadelphia, is among the many schools across the country where students and other radicals are holding anti-Israel demonstrations, including establishing encampments. The “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on Penn’s campus was established over a week ago, with students demanding the university disclose its financial ties to Israel, divest from the country, and provide protection for the on-campus protesters, according to ABC 6.
The student newspaper The Daily Pennsylvanian reported on Thursday that university officials had requested the Philadelphia Police Department to dismantle the encampment immediately, but that the department reportedly denied the request because it has an agreement with the school’s police department to provide support “as needed,” and there was no imminent threat.
“The University has been managing an encampment and surrounding protests on our campus for several days,” a Penn spokesman told the student newspaper in a statement that was also provided to Fox News Digital. “Overnight, protest activity began to escalate and has continued steadily, with large crowds in and around College Green today. We have contacted the City of Philadelphia to ensure we have the necessary resources to maintain the safety of our community.”
“The Mayor’s Office has requested more details, which we are providing,” the statement continued.
When questioned by Fox News Digital about the report and the continuing demonstrations on Thursday, the Philadelphia Police Department stated, “our response will be determined by the particular circumstances of each situation.”
“The PPD remains dedicated to facilitating peaceful demonstrations while ensuring the safety and upholding the First Amendment rights of all who live, work, or visit our city. As part of this commitment, the Philadelphia Police Department maintains a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Pennsylvania Police Department to ensure effective collaboration in situations that necessitate a police response. The PPD will provide assistance to the UPPD as needed, in accordance with the MOU. However, we do not publicly discuss specific planning or engagement strategies related to ongoing situations for tactical reasons,” a department spokesman explained.
Meanwhile, the guides for the activists provide thorough instructions on how to treat injuries sustained during violent demonstrations.
“Have medics both inside and outside the building. Medics should be informed of the specific needs of individuals participating in the action (medications, allergies, etc.). They ought to have a first-aid kit on hand. Anyone can serve as a street medic, but efforts should be made to contact RNs and EMTs,” one guide states.
Individuals who have been pepper sprayed are advised to flush their eyes with water, while those with rubber bullet wounds should have their wounds cleaned and stitched up “for comrades who cannot be transported to the hospital.”
The documents advise the activists to establish a “propaganda team” to disseminate press releases and collaborate with the media.
“Prepare an initial statement before announcing the occupation,” the guide advises regarding press releases. “Express your outrage, but make sure to also provide a reasonable explanation for your actions, as many people will want to know why you did them. Don’t have an official stance. Allow others to express themselves in their own ways. Have people on hand to create and distribute flyers describing your actions when the occupation takes place.”
Although the guide instructs activists to establish a media team, it cautions against designating a single person as the leader.
“No particular individuals inside the occupation should become too visible, so as not to be branded as leaders. No one on the inside should give televised interviews or reveal more personal information than necessary.”
Student activists have recently infiltrated college campuses around the country, including radicals at Columbia University who took over the school’s Hamilton Hall building, while universities like UCLA, Harvard, and Yale are working to dismantle student encampments where protesters demand their elite schools completely divest from Israel.
This week, Columbia University’s occupation of Hamilton Hall came to an end when riot-clad NYPD officers stormed the building and cleared it in approximately two hours on Tuesday night.
Following the October 7th outbreak of war between the terrorist organization Hamas and Israel, protests against Israel on campuses initially took the form of demonstrations, threatening graffiti, and students reporting feelings of “open season for Jews on our campuses.” The protests have now reached a point where Jewish students have been advised to leave campus for their own safety.
Fox News Digital has previously reported that the protests are linked to groups associated with far-left organizations supported by dark money and liberal mega-donor George Soros. The National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP), in particular, has had a significant presence at protests on Columbia University’s campus, as well as on the campuses of UCLA, Tufts, and the University of Texas at Austin.
