Police Clear GWU Pro-Palestinian Encampment, Prompting Cancellation of Congressional Hearing

WASHINGTON—Police cleared the pro-Palestinian encampment at George Washington University (GWU) in the wee hours of May 8 morning, prompting the cancelation of a congressional hearing about authorities’ handling of the protests. The operation occurred at 3:45 a.m. EST, just hours before Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith were scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) announced in a statement that the hearing had been scrapped. He said he talked with Ms. Bowser and appreciated the clearing of the encampment. However, he lamented that it took him and his committee to shed light on the situation on GWU’s University Yard as “it was apparent that the D.C. police force was not going to do their job.”...