Daniel Biss faces scrutiny over Northwestern encampment decision as he runs for Congress

Biss refused EPD action in Palestinian encampment

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss is defending his decision not to send in police to break-up a Palestinian encampment protesting on the campus of Northwestern University in the spring of 2024.

EVANSTON, Ill. - Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss is defending his decision not to dispatch police to break up a Palestinian encampment on the Northwestern campus in the Spring of 2024.

What we know:

A university trustee went after Mayor Biss in a series of texts with former University President Michael Schill accusing the mayor of acting in his own political self-interest.

Michigan Representative Tim Wahlberg is now asking that Biss provide the House Committee on Education and Workforce with more information on how the City of Evanston deals with antisemitism on campus.

Biss, who is running to succeed Representative Jan Schakowsky who is retiring from Congress, says the release of the text messages is politically motivated: "I made a decision that I thought was right based on the considerations that were most important which were again, public safety and the right to protest and then I went about my business trying not to politicize it but now that I’ve done it I feel compelled to tell the truth." 

In a statement to the Daily Northwestern, Congresswoman Schakowsky says Biss showed "bravery and leadership by respecting students’ 1st Amendment rights and declining to send in Evanston police."