9 arrested at University of Minnesota anti-Israel encampment, Ilhan Omar says she was 'moved' by protest
Nine people at the University of Minnesota were arrested after creating an anti-Israel encampment on campus.
Nine people at the University of Minnesota were arrested after creating an anti-Israel encampment on campus.
According to the Star Tribune, several student organizations pitched tents early Tuesday morning. University police arrived within two hours and administrators told the students to leave.
A University of Minnesota spokesperson told Campus Reform that the students were asked to leave or face arrest.
”Early Tuesday morning, the U of M Department of Public Safety received reports that a group had established an encampment on the north end of the Northrop Mall on the Twin Cities campus. UMPD arrived shortly after 6 a.m. and informed those present they were in violation of both University policy and state trespassing law,” said the spokesperson. “Tents are not allowed on any University property for any purpose without a permit. In addition, Public Safety has not allowed any encampments, tents, fires, or other types of encampment living arrangements on any University properties or in buildings. The group was asked to disperse by 7 a.m. and told they would be arrested if they chose to stay past that time.”
”Some of those present chose to disperse and continue peacefully protesting, but nine chose to remain and were arrested without incident,” the spokesperson added.
The encampment was organized by Students for a Democratic Society, Students for Justice in Palestine, the Young Democratic Socialists of America and Students for Climate Justice, according to the report.
Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar spoke to the protesters, praising them for organizing the encampment, according to the Daily Mail.
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”It’s been incredibly painful for last five days to see the discovery while there is a discovery of a mass grave ... that our media, our elected politicians our president every single elected leader is spending time and energy in talking about the protests as if you all are not here to give voice to the genocide that is taking place in Gaza,” said Omar.