Pro-Palestinian protests are heating up on college campuses across the Chicago area amid a nationwide student-led movement against the war in Gaza.

The big picture: U.S. colleges have been flashpoints for pro-Palestinian protests since the Israel-Hamas war began last October.

• It has stirred debates about free speech as officials raise concern about increasing reports of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campuses — prompting the Education Department to launch investigations.

Driving the news: Dozens of Northwestern University students, educators and activists set up an encampment Thursday to show support for Palestinians in Gaza. Many disassembled and reassembled tents throughout the day as university police instructed protesters to take them down, the Daily Northwestern reported.

• More than 2,000 people have signed on to a resolution calling on Northwestern to protect students engaging in pro-Palestinian demonstrations and also divest from companies and partnerships "that support Israeli apartheid."
• Several Chicago universities have rallies planned for today.

Zoom out: Local protests follow the arrests of demonstrators at schools including Columbia University, the University of Texas in Austin, and the University of Southern California since last week.

What they're saying: "Northwestern students report the administration is curtailing free speech. The school is intimidating both students and educators who speak out against Israeli apartheid and occupation," educator and student activist groups asserted in a statement.

The other side: Northwestern spokesperson Hilary Hurd Anyaso said in a statement that the Evanston encampment is "prohibited under university policies," warning that students who refuse to remove their tents "will be subject to arrest."

• "Northwestern is committed to the principles of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly," the statement reads.

What's next: Pro-Palestinian activists at Columbia College, the School of the Art Institute, and Roosevelt are planning a march down Michigan Avenue today, and groups at the University of Chicago are planning a rally on the Hyde Park campus.

New episodes of "In the Room with Peter Bergen" explore the pipeline of migrants from Venezuela to Chicago.

Why it matters: Migration is currently the No. 1 voter issue, and this podcast makes it easy to get up to speed on the origins and implications of the city's current migrant crisis.

Zoom in: Bergen spoke with Venezuelan migrants, policy experts, city officials and local volunteers to gain their insights.

Monica gave it a listen. Here's what she learned:

1. U.S. sanctions aimed at weakening Venezuela's leftist Maduro government have instead damaged the economy enough to drive more emigration, while allowing Maduro to blame the U.S. for his country's woes.
2. Several migrants cited Venezuela's high food prices, corrupt police, gangs and crime as reasons to leave.
3. Some tell Bergen they heard Chicago is affordable and full of opportunities, while New York is a bad place for families and D.C. is too expensive. One migrant named Julio expressed surprise to see homeless Chicagoans.
4. U.S. infrastructure for processing asylum claims is not equipped to handle the recent spike in cases, per former Obama adviser Cecila Muñoz. Asylum cases typically take 5-7 years because of a paucity of asylum judges and officers.

More takeaways

🏈 The Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in last night's NFL draft. They picked Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 9 pick. (CHGO)

🧅 A Chicago company called Global Tetrahedron, filled with fans of The Onion, has bought the satirical site. (Axios)

🎻 Longtime Chicago Symphony Orchestra violinist Paul Phillips died of complications from brain cancer. He was 77. (Tribune)

🏖️ Imani the piping plover has been spotted at Montrose Beach. Imani is the son of the famed Monty and Rose, who went viral for popping up on the beach in 2019. (Block Club)

Edgewater residents recently catalogued more than 2,000 local heritage trees for an exhibit that opens tonight in honor of Arbor Day.

Why it matters: They hope to slow controversial city removals of these 50+-year-old trees at a time when our canopy is shrinking.

What they're saying: Organizer John Holden tells Axios the group is "working with academics from DePaul and Loyola universities to interpret the data and document how much economic and environmental benefit they bring to the community."

If you go: The exhibit opens at 5pm at Edgewater Historical Society.

📅 Upcoming events around the city.

Paint Your Pet at Midwest Coast Brewing Co. on May 29: They will be painting their pets off an image of your choice. Gray Duck Art will take your image and turn it into a paint by number, making this class a fun and successful experience for all. $70.

Hosting an event? Email [email protected].

Today we launch our "Friday Film Club," a monthly series revisiting filming locations from Chicago classics.

🍿 First up: "Uncle Buck."

The big picture: The John Hughes film starring John Candy and Macaulay Culkin is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

• It's a story about a bachelor uncle who has to watch his sister's kids due to an emergency. Heartfelt hilarity ensues.

The intrigue: Did you know that almost the entire movie was shot in metro Chicago? Of course you did.

• We fanned out around the area to revisit some of the locations to see how they've held up.

The family home

2602 Lincoln St., Evanston

The house where Uncle Buck came to watch his sister's kids is in Evanston. They used the porch for the scene where Buck beats up a clown.

• There are a few north suburban houses in the film, including the teenage party house located in Northbrook.

Buck's Wrigleyville apartment

3700 N. Sheffield Ave.

Buck, a bachelor, lived near Wrigley Field at the corner building of Waveland and Sheffield avenues. The building now has rooftop bleachers.

The bowling alley

5242 W. 25th St., Cicero

Buck brings the kids to his bowling alley located along 25th Street in Cicero.

• Unfortunately, not long after shooting, The Palace Bowl (actually called the Bowling Arena) was torn down. It's now a parking lot.

More iconic film locations