MINNEAPOLIS — Eleven people were arrested during a protest that erupted in support of Palestine on the University of Minnesota campus Monday afternoon.
Doors to Merrill Hall were barricaded as demonstrators gathered outside the front door. Multiple Palestinian flags were flown outside the hall while a large sign was held in front of the doors reading "Money for education not for bombs and occupation."
A Palestine flag was also placed on the building's roof.
Protesters demanded academic and economic divestment from Israel, an action the U of M Board of Regents rejected in August.
“I want to see the university, first and foremost, be more transparent about where their money is going,” said Maysoon Wazwaz with American Muslims for Palestine Minnesota. “I would say that across the country right now, all students who shut down halls – they are doing it as a reaction to the disgusting display of horrible statements from universities.”
U of M President Rebecca Cunningham addressed the protest on Tuesday morning noting the university's commitment to free expression, but said in strong terms that what happened the day before crossed the line.
"We have seen many peaceful protests this fall. However, what happened in Morrill Hall yesterday was not a form of legitimate protest, Cunningham wrote in a message to the U of M community. "Threatening behavior and destruction of property have absolutely no place within our community. These actions endanger safety, erode the fabric of our University community, and undermine the legitimacy of important causes that our students, faculty and staff care so deeply about."
President Cunningham added that university employees were trapped in Morrill Hall and prevented from leaving by protestors who barricaded doors with furniture and used bicycle U-locks to make door handles inoperable. She called it a "terrifying experience" that is by definition, criminal activity.
"These actions crossed the line into illegal activity when they actively threatened the emotional and physical safety of our employees, prevented their free movement, disrupted building operations and destroyed campus property," Cunningham insisted. "The safety, security and wellbeing of our staff, students and faculty are our highest priority, and we cannot — and will not — allow this type of behavior."
The incident first came to light Monday afternoon when U of M officials sent out a campus alert urging students and staff to avoid the area around Morrill Hall after protesters entered the building and started damaging property.
There were 11 people arrested, according to the U of M. Damage to the building and campus included spray paint in the building and windows being broken. University officials told reporters they are continuing to investigate the circumstances behind the protest and subsequent vandalism.
Some protesters defended their actions on Monday, which ranged from damage to the building to drawing messages with chalk on the pavement.
“We should be more horrified about what’s going on in Palestine than being so worked up about chalk,” Maysoon Wazwaz said.
Steve Hunegs, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, denounced protestors’ chants of “From the River to the Sea” as anti-Semitic and praised the university for responding quickly to the occupation of Morrill Hall.
“Intimidation, vandalism, occupation – that’s not free speech. It’s about stoking fear and interfering with the life of the university,” Hunegs said. “Minnesotans overwhelmingly support Israel in the struggle against Hamas, against the belligerence of Iran, and against the Hezbollah murderers of our U.S. Marines.”
During the protest, the rest of campus operated normally without much disruption. A U of M senior who identified himself as Caleb said the protests “kind of rub me the wrong way.” He watched from the quad as dozens of police officers staged nearby.
“I’m glad to see them here,” he said. “Hopefully this blows over soon.”
It’s not clear yet what charges the 11 people arrested will face. The university also does not have an estimate of how much property damage occurred to Morrill Hall.
Later Monday the U of M released the following statement about the demonstration.
Protesters assembled on the lawn in front of Coffman Memorial Union starting around 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. Shortly before 4 p.m., a group of these individuals quickly moved north, up the Northrop Mall, and entered Morrill Hall.
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 full extent of the damage is unknown. A number of staff were working in the building at the time, and several people were not able to exit, with some being unable to exit the building for an extended period of time.
To ensure the safety of U of M employees in the building who were unable to exit, and in light of property damage sustained to the building, University of Minnesota Police Department was called to the scene to address the situation.