Tension is rising on the Syracuse University campus as pro-Palestinian protesters have refused to move from their encampment location, despite the university telling them to relocate ahead of graduation events this weekend.

A day after the university asked the protesters to move their encampment to a different location, the group continued to make their presence felt on the SU Quad in what has been a more than week-long encampment.

SU’s commencement is on Sunday morning. 

Protesters have presented the university with a list of demands that include supporting a cease-fire and in the Israel-Hamas war and ending support for companies they say help fund munitions for Israel in Gaza.

Days before thousands of students are expected to graduate, the mood on campus was calm. Some were serious about their mission.

“We’re not here because it's fun," said protestor Cai Cafiero. "We are here to use the power that we have as students and the visibility we have as part of this international wave of protests to bring attention to the genocide happening in Palestine.”

Protesters and counterprotesters at Syracuse University have emphasize civility at the site, and on Thursday it was calm.

Students who were set to graduate this weekend were hanging around campus, participating in photoshoots, hanging out with friends. While it’s a huge weekend for them, the presence of the encampment was being felt.

"It's definitely there, right?" said finance and real estate student Dylan France. "Like, the point of an encampment is to occupy space, get a message across and hopefully to help like meet their demands. And so I completely understand the presence and everything."

While protesters have emphasized civility, the organization End Antisemitism Now sent a letter endorsed by hundreds of students and parents to the university chancellor, saying the encampment represented "a significant threat to the safety and well-being of all students."

It asked for the removal of all non-affiliated protesters and signage advocating for destruction of Israel and a regular security presence at the encampment.