Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Oct 22

Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)

A number of pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities were arrested Monday, Oct. 21, after vandalizing and barricading Morrill Hall. The university released a statement, saying the protesters, of which 11 were arrested, entered the building around 4 p.m. Monday.

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“Once inside the building, protesters began spray painting, including covering lenses of all internal security cameras, breaking interior windows, and barricading the building’s entrance and exit points,” the statement said.

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Officials with the university said some staff members were not able to leave Morrill Hall for “an extended period of time.” Police were able to enter the building around 5:40 p.m., and officers said they eventually arrested 11 individuals.

By Monday night, university officials did not know the extent of the damage to Morrill Hall.

A student with the university’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society spoke with The Associated Press and said about 30 students from the group were participating in the protest. The group was demanding the university divest from Israel as the Israel-Hamas war rages on.

College campuses nationwide have been dealing with high tensions since the war began more than a year ago following a brutal Hamas attack on southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and involved the kidnapping of around 250 individuals.

In response, the Israel Defense Forces have launched ground offensives in Gaza seeking to destroy Hamas. The conflict has left over 42,000 Palestinians dead, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not specify between Hamas fighters and civilians.

Pro-Palestinian protests and encampments rocked several colleges and universities last spring, leaving Jewish students and staff feeling unsafe. Now, in this new academic year, colleges have been under pressure to protect free speech rights while limiting disruptions on campus and protecting students from discrimination.

Several schools, including NYU, Columbia and Harvard, have enacted new campus rules for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Tags: Hamas, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Minnesota, Palestine, Universities

[Lauren Taylor]

ELEVEN PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TWIN CITIES WERE ARRESTED MONDAY AFTER VANDALIZING AND BARRICADING MORRILL HALL.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA RELEASED A STATEMENT, SAYING THE PROTESTERS ENTERED THE BUILDING AROUND 4 P-M MONDAY. “ONCE INSIDE THE BUILDING, PROTESTERS BEGAN SPRAY PAINTING, INCLUDING COVERING LENSES OF ALL INTERNAL SECURITY CAMERAS, BREAKING INTERIOR WINDOWS, AND BARRICADING THE BUILDING’S ENTRANCE AND EXIT POINTS,” THE STATEMENT SAID.

OFFICIALS WITH THE UNIVERSITY SAID SOME STAFF MEMBERS WERE NOT ABLE TO LEAVE MORRILL HALL FOR “AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.”

POLICE WERE ABLE TO FIND THEIR WAY INSIDE THE BUILDING AROUND 5:40 PM – AND OFFICERS SAID THEY EVENTUALLY ARRESTED 11 INDIVIDUALS.

BY MONDAY NIGHT UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS DID NOT KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE TO MORRILL HALL.

A STUDENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY’S CHAPTER OF STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY SPOKE WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AND SAID ABOUT 30 STUDENTS FROM THE GROUP WERE TAKING PART IN THE PROTEST.

THE GROUP WAS DEMANDING THE UNIVERSITY DIVEST FROM ISRAEL AS THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR RAGES ON.

COLLEGE CAMPUSES NATIONWIDE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH HIGH TENSIONS SINCE THE WAR BEGAN MORE THAN A YEAR AGO AFTER A HAMAS’ BRUTAL TERROR ATTACK ON SOUTHERN ISRAEL. HAMAS MILITANTS KILLED 1,200 PEOPLE AND KIDNAPPED AROUND 250.

IN RESPONSE, THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES HAVE LAUNCHED GROUND OFFENSIVES IN GAZA SEEKING TO DESTROY HAMAS, WHICH HAS LEFT OVER 42,000 PALESTINIANS DEAD, ACCORDING TO THE GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY, WHICH DOES NOT SPECIFY BETWEEN HAMAS FIGHTERS AND CIVILIANS.

PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS AND ENCAMPMENTS ROCKED SEVERAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES LAST SPRING IN WHICH JEWISH STUDENTS AND STAFF SAID LEFT THEM FEELING UNSAFE.

NOW IN THIS NEW ACADEMIC YEAR, COLLEGES HAVE BEEN UNDER PRESSURE TO PROTECT FREE SPEECH RIGHTS WHILE LIMITING DISRUPTIONS ON CAMPUS AND PROTECTING STUDENTS FROM DISCRIMINATION.

SEVERAL SCHOOLS, INCLUDING NYU, COLUMBIA, AND HARVARD ALL ENACTED NEW CAMPUS RULES FOR THE 2024 – 2025 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.