Police arrest 25 at Hamas-endorsed encampment at Humboldt, say occupied buildings are 'cleared and secured'
Police at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt made 25 arrests on early Tuesday morning after students took over a large portion of campus, including two buildings on campus.
An Instagram account, Occupy Cal Poly Humboldt, posted its last Instagram story at around 3 a.m. pacific time, which showed easily over 100 police in riot gear entering campus.
Police at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt made 25 arrests on early Tuesday morning after students took over a large portion of campus, including two buildings on campus.
A spokeswoman for Cal Poly Humboldt told Campus Reform that 25 people were arrested after being told to leave the area early Tuesday morning.
Law enforcement officials “cleared and secured” the two buildings that protesters occupied, one of which was dubbed as “intifada hall.”
A unified command carried out the law enforcement operation, consisting of officers throughout the state, with Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal and University Police Department Chief Peter Cress leading the operation.
[RELATED: Humboldt Hamas militants hijack campus, damage estimated ‘in the millions’]
The spokeswoman said that those arrested face a range of charges, including “unlawful assembly, vandalism, conspiracy, assault of police officers, and others.”
Students could face conduct violations and university employees arrested could be disciplined.
”The University had made repeated efforts over the last week to resolve the situation. This morning’s enforcement action was determined to be necessary to restore order and to address the lawlessness and dangerous conditions that had developed,” the spokeswoman said. “What was occurring was not free expression or a protest. It was criminal activity, and there were serious concerns it would spread even further on campus.”
An Instagram account used by protesters was consistently posting updates throughout Monday night and early Tuesday morning.
The account, Occupy Cal Poly Humboldt, posted its last Instagram story at around 3 a.m. pacific time, which showed easily over 100 police in riot gear entering campus.
Via Occupycalpolyhumboldt
In one instance, occupiers tried to block a police vehicle from going any further while appearing to dance and cuddle.
BREAKING: Cal Poly Humboldt Occupiers block a Police Vehicle in onesies while dancing and cuddling pic.twitter.com/Q09K8c9oPP
— Stu (@thestustustudio) April 30, 2024
Protesters demanded that Cal Poly Humboldt disclose companies it does business with in Israel, end ties with Israeli universities, divest from companies supporting Israel’s war against Hamas, call for a ceasefire, and drop charges files against three students arrested when the protest began.
Cal Poly Humboldt didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday from Campus Reform but condemned the occupation and said it was “lawless behavior.”
BREAKING: Police have moved in on the Cal Poly Humboldt pro-Palestine encampment and occupation, with arrests made here today after a large number of officers entered campus pic.twitter.com/303LI9Zx04
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) April 30, 2024
”This has nothing to do with free speech or freedom of inquiry,” a spokeswoman for the university said. “It is lawless behavior that has harmed the vast majority of our students whose education has been interrupted, damaged the reputation of our school, and drained resources from the accomplishment of our core educational purpose.”
The damage is estimated to be in the millions, according to the spokeswoman.
”While it’s too early to assess the cost of illegal activities, we estimate it to be in the millions,” she said. That includes damage done by theft, vandalism and graffiti, and the supplies and personnel needed to repair that, in addition to the loss of revenue from disruption to University operations. But the true cost has been the disruption of the education of our students who came here to learn and get a college degree.”
On Monday morning, protesters erected a “tree sit...in solidarity for a free Gaza and end of empire.”
In a video on X, one protester at Cal Poly Humboldt could be seen hitting a police officer over the head with a water jug while trying to enter a building.
According to the Los Angeles Times, protesters broke into the president’s office and allegedly saw sensitive material.
A university spokesperson told the outlet that “hateful graffiti” was painted on university property, adding that two areas have been “tagged with language that is harmful to the Jewish community.”
