5 arrested during demonstration on Florida State University’s campus
From CNN’s Sara Smart
Five people were arrested during a demonstration on Florida State University’s campus on Tuesday afternoon, the school told CNN. The university is in Tallahassee.
“Anyone who was arrested today made a conscious choice to engage in unlawful conduct,” FSU officials said in a statement.
Two of the five individuals are current FSU students, the school said. The demonstration of a “small group” was held on Landis Green for multiple days.
“The university’s rules and regulations had been explained repeatedly over several days and the group had been compliant until this afternoon,” the school said. “Today’s arrests occurred after the individuals ignored multiple requests and warnings to comply with a lawful order.”
School officials say they will continue to enforce university rules and any violence, disruption of exams, destruction of property, intimidation, threats and harassment will be handled by law enforcement or campus officials.
Here is the latest on protests on college campuses
From CNN Staff
Protests on college campuses surrounding the Israel-Hamas war continued on Tuesday, stretching into their second week – just as many universities wrap up the spring semester and prepare for graduation ceremonies in the coming weeks.
More than 1,000 people have been arrested by law enforcement on various campuses.
A central demand of protesters is for universities to divest from Israel-linked companies that they say are profiting from the war in Gaza.
Here's what you should know:
Classes canceled on last day:
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill canceled the last day of classes Tuesday as protests continue. Police officers were seen physically pushing back protesters. Demonstrators took down the campus' American flag and replaced it with a Palestinian flag. Protesters on campus were being detained Tuesday morning after the university sent them a demand to vacate their encampment.
Students occupy buildings:
- Columbia University students occupying Hamilton Hall, one of the campus buildings also occupied during 1968 student protests, face expulsion, the university said in a statement Tuesday.
- Buildings on other college campuses have also been occupied by protesters, including at Clio Hall, home of the Graduate School at Princeton University, and at Cal Poly Humboldt, police say they have cleared buildings occupied by protesters since last week.
- Portland State University officials have asked the city's police department to help remove protesters they said had broken into and occupied a university library on Monday evening.
More arrests and developments:
- Brown University student protesters have reached an agreement to disband their encampment after the university agreed to hold a vote on divestment from companies that support Israel, according to the protest organizers.
- Virginia Commonwealth University school officials said in a statement said 13 people were “arrested and charged with unlawful assembly and trespassing” during a protest on campus Monday night.
- Nearly 80 people were arrested at the University of Texas-Austin Monday relating to protests and 82 people were also arrested Monday at a protest encampment on the lawn at Virginia Tech’s Graduate Life Center.
- In Canada, McGill University requested police assistance amid protests on campus.
- Lawmakers on both sides, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have denounced the escalation of protests and vandalism. House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Tuesday that Republicans are launching “a House-wide effort to crack down on antisemitism on college campuses.”
CNN is monitoring campus protests and will continue to updatethis mapwith any new arrests.
‘End the anarchy.’ Columbia alumni demand immediate action to restore order
From CNN's Matt Egan and Samantha Delouya
Columbia University alumni are demanding school officials immediately end the occupation of Hamilton Hall and take strong action to restore order on campus.
"The University must act forcefully and decisively to end the anarchy that has been allowed to overtake and endanger the Columbia campus," alumni wrote in an open letter to Columbia Preisdent Minouche Shafik. "Anything less than the full enforcement of laws and policies signals a surrender of Columbia’s fundamental identity."
The letter calls for Shafik to request assistance from the New York Police Department if necessary. It also demands that all students occupying Hamilton Hall be expelled and participating professors placed on "administrative suspension."
The statement said Columbia alumni “of good conscience stand united with” the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association “in horror” over the situation on campus.
The letter adds that the takeover of Hamilton Hall “has crossed an indefensible line far beyond legitimate protest.”
A similar statement dated Monday calling for “meaningful action” received about 2,080 signatures as of1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, according to organizers. ByTuesday evening, more than 2,500 alumni signatures were collected in total, though it’s unclear how many support the latest statement.
CNN has not independently verified who signed the statements nor their relation to Columbia.
Alumni from the University of Pennsylvania have circulated a similar open letter addressed to its interim university president, Larry Jameson, detailing alleged incidents of antisemitism on Penn's campus and calling for the end of that school's pro-Palestinian encampment.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says students who breached Columbia's Hamilton Hall must be held accountable
From CNN's Gloria Pazmino
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Tuesday the students who breached Hamilton Hall at Columbia Universityin the early morning hours should face disciplinary action from the university or law enforcement.
During an unrelated press conference, Hochul reiterated her support for peaceful student protests but underscored vandalism, harassment and destruction of property meant a “line has been crossed.”
“[Protesters] forced staff from their jobs, students from the security of using buildings, they broke windows, barricaded exits, and these individuals are clearly breaking the law,” Hochul said. “There must be accountability, whether that’s disciplinary action from the school or from law enforcement.”
As other universities cancel plans for commencements due to campus protests, Hochul said her administration has offered support to figure out a way for in-person graduation to move forward with proper security measures in place.
“Every student deserves to celebrate at a commencement,” Hochul said. “We have seen across the country, other schools have canceled commencements denying these students who were also denied the opportunity to walk across their stage four years ago because of the pandemic as high school students. They have the right to graduate.”
County prosecutor calls for talks between UT Austin and protest organizers, noting arrests are “putting a tremendous strain" on resources
From CNN’s Cindy Von Quednow
Travis County prosecutor Delia Garza on Tuesday called forUniversity of Texas-Austinleadership to initiate a compromise with student protest organizers, as police presence on campus and arrests are “dwindling” law enforcement resources.
Nearly 80 people were arrested on campus Monday and Garza’s officeis processing at least 65 criminal trespass cases, she said.
"While we understand the safety concerns of the university, continuing to send protesters to jail on criminal trespass charges — one of the lowest level non-violent crimes our office is presented with – is putting a tremendous strain on our criminal justice resources," Garza said.
The attorney explained that her office is working to process the “large volume” of cases that has caused “a delay on normal, everyday processes,” and that magistrates are working to determine eligibility for release.
“When large numbers of APD officers are sent to assist and round up protesters for criminal trespass charges, that means less officers available for other calls, like domestic violence and assaults,” Garza said.
She added that she is “deeply concerned” by how demonstrations can escalate when people believe they are being prevented from being able to exercise their right to peaceful protest.
“It is not the role of the criminal justice system to jail people for conduct that has not yet occurred or that might occur, nor is it the role to assist our governor in efforts to suppress non-violent and peaceful demonstrations,” she said.
For now, Garza said the cases her office have reviewed so far will remain active, as they work to determine the most appropriate course of action.
Biden condemns the "ferocious surge of antisemitism"
From CNN's Sam Fossum
President Joe Biden condemned the “ferocious surge of antisemitism” that many Jewish Americans face in a proclamation Tuesday for Jewish American Heritage Month.
"Here at home, too many Jews live with deep pain and fear from the ferocious surge of antisemitism – in our communities; at schools, places of worship, and colleges; and across social media," Biden said in the statement. "It is our shared moral responsibility to forcefully stand up to antisemitism and to make clear that hate can have no safe harbor in America."
In the statement, Biden also said that his administration continues to work to secure the release of hostages being held by Hamas and reach a ceasefire deal.
“My Administration is working around the clock to free the hostages who have been held by Hamas for over half a year; as I have said to their families, we will not rest until we bring them home," he wrote. "We are also leading international efforts to deliver urgently needed humanitarian aid to Gaza and an immediate ceasefire as part of a deal that releases hostages and lays the groundwork for an enduring two-state solution."
Columbia University protester waves Palestinian flag atop occupied Hamilton Hall
From CNN’s Polo Sandoval and Christina Zdanowicz
An occupier waving a Palestinian flag at Columbia University emerged onto the roof of Hamilton Hall Tuesday and was met with cheers and chants from the crowd below protesting off campus.
Students occupying the hallface expulsion, the university said in a statement Tuesday. “Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation ... and we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday," university spokesperson Ben Chang said.
Student who received a letter of suspension from University of Georgia after participating in campus protest was an honors scholar
From CNN’s Nick Valencia and Devon M. Sayers
At least one student who was arrested during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the University of Georgia on Monday has been suspended from the school the student says.
In an email obtained by CNN, the university notified "Ezra" Lewis that they had been suspended over UGA “Code of Conduct” regulations, after participating in an on-campus protest that "violated the University’s Policy on Freedom of Expression."
The letter alleges Lewis “intentionally or recklessly” disrupted the normal operations of the university when they participated in an encampment set-up on the school’s campus on Monday.
Lewis, a third-year student at UGA, received the suspension notification just hours after being arrested by authorities at UGA.They said the email notification gave them roughly two minutes to leave campus or face being arrested again.
“It’s so crazy to me that the university would turn their back on us,” Lewis told CNN in an interview on Tuesday. Lewis fears further reprisal from the university for speaking out on the arrest and related suspension, which Lewis plans on appealing.
“They have touted my name around as a diversity and inclusion person,” Lewis said, in rebuke of the school’s decision, adding that the university has used their image in "every single website” and "on campus walls" for their multiple academic accomplishments.
Lewis, an honors student, is the President of Zeta Phi Beta sorority. They were also one of the first recipients of a scholarship from the Landscape Architecture Foundation given to people of color, according to a release from UGA.
According to jail records, Lewis was charged with one count of criminal trespass, a misdemeanor. They have since posted bond and been released from jail.
On Monday, UGA told CNN at least 25 people were arrested after setting-up in an encampment on campus. A University spokesperson said the protests violated school policy, and that the arrests were made after “multiple warnings” were given to the group to disperse.
Lewis said that authorities used “a crazy amount of force,” during the arrests.
UGA has not responded to requests for comments about the suspensions on Tuesday.
Lewis told CNN that the group didn’t take out a permit to protest in an act of “civil disobedience.”They added that the protest was in solidarity with Palestine, and in tandem with protests on other colleges and universities across the country.
They demand that UGA disclose and divest from companies that support Israel, protection for students on campus and to stand in solidarity with Palestine.Protesters are also specifically demanding divestment in the school's study abroad programs in Tel Aviv.
A history of student protest movements in the US
From CNN’s Alaa Elassar, Nicquel Terry Ellis and Ashley R. Williams
Segregation sit-ins
While student protests for racial equality gained the most traction in the 1960s, some of the first demonstrations against segregation took place decades before.
In the 1940s, students at Howard University began practicing what they called a “stool-sitting technique” where students would go to restaurants that denied Black people service and remain seated.
Civil Rights protests
Students across the country protested to demand racial equality in admissions, curriculum that reflected diverse perspectives and more people of color on the faculty.
In one case, in 1968, the Black Student Union at San Francisco State University led a strike that shut down the university. The administration cancelled classes over three months, according to the university’s website.
Vietnam anti-war protests
The 1960s and 1970s saw a rise in anti-war protests on campuses.
Students demanded the Vietnam war’s end and spoke out against the military draft.
In 1970, four students were killed and nine others were wounded at Kent State University when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on protesters.
The South African apartheid divestment movement
Between the 1960s and 1980s, US student activists led a movement to pressure universities to cut financial ties with companies doing business with South Africa’s apartheid government.
Students successfully pressured universities, including in New York, California and North Carolina, to sever financial ties.
Black Lives Matter movement
College students across the country have played a key role in the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement following the deaths of Trayvon Martin in 2012 and Michael Brown in 2014.
The movement demands an end to police violence against Black men.
In 2020, the police killing of George Floyd sparked unrest across the country and many students joined the protests that swept the nation.
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