CAMBRIDGE — Pro-Palestinian protesters marched through an MIT building Wednesday morning as ongoing demonstrations at the university spread beyond the encampment that has occupied Kresge Oval for more than two weeks.
MIT police and more than 30 pro-Palestinian protesters confronted each other in front of a parking garage underneath the Stata Center Wednesday.
The protesters, who were marching in a circle in front of the garage entrance on Vassar Street, arrived around 8:15 a.m.
At one point, university police pushed protesters with locked arms away from the garage entrance to allow vehicles to enter. But protesters quickly regained control of the entrance as an MIT deputy chief warned that they were creating a “very dangerous situation,” a Globe reporter observed.
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Shortly after 9 a.m., university police warned the protesters they would have to leave or be arrested.
The Stata Center houses MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems.
“This is specifically both to draw attention to this building, the research collaboration with the Israeli military that happens in this building,” said Daniel Shen, a third-year doctoral student in MIT’s College of Engineering. “Also as a general demand, MIT has threatened suspension for students who have been peacefully protesting these research ties. So we’re also demanding MIT not hand out unjust discipline.”
The demonstrators chanted “Free, free Palestine” and carried signs reading “All eyes on Rafah,” “Hands off Rafah,” and “Re-open the Rafah crossing.” Rafah is a city in southern Gaza and the location of a vital border crossing into Egypt that Israeli troops seized control of Tuesday.
A number of MIT police officers, along with State Police troopers, gathered nearby.
An MIT spokesperson said the university was “aware” of the demonstration Wednesday morning.
“As President Kornbluth has laid out in various messages and updates to members of the MIT community, we have heard the views of our protesting students,” the spokesperson, Kimberly Allen, said by email. “We also have a commitment to the entire MIT community. And our rules around time, place, and manner of protest help ensure campus is safe and functioning.”
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The protesters marched around the Stata building and entered Building 66 nearby at about 9:35 a.m., walking up to the second floor. They continued through buildings 56, 16, 8, and 10 through what is called the “infinite corridor.” The protest ended at the entrance of Building 7 as demonstrators chanted and walked in a circle for about three minutes before MIT officers arrived. The protesters left the building at about 9:45 a.m. and crossed Massachusetts Avenue to the encampment.
Later on Wednesday, pro-Israel protestors gathered around the encampment. Some hung Israeli flags over the metal barricades surrounding the encampment, but a person from inside the encampment was seen placing red hand prints on them. MIT police were seen removing those flags a short time later.
Wednesday’s protest came one day after a metal fence served as a dividing line during the university’s annual Israel Day celebration on Kresge Lawn, just feet from a pro-Palestinian encampment that officials tried unsuccessfully to close down on Monday.
On Tuesday, MIT’s chancellor, Melissa Nobles, said in a message to all students that “dozens of interim suspensions and referrals to the Committee on Discipline are now in process” after the pro-Palestinian protesters refused to leave the encampment, which led to students clashing with police and knocking down a barrier wall around the camp.
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A student on interim suspension is “prohibited from participating in any academic activities – including classes, exams, or research – for the remainder of the semester,” as well as commencement activities, Nobles wrote. MIT’s commencement ceremonies are May 29 to May 31.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Ava Berger can be reached at ava.berger@globe.com. Follow her @Ava_Berger_. John R. Ellement can be reached at john.ellement@globe.com. Follow him @JREbosglobe. Nick Stoico can be reached at nick.stoico@globe.com.