On Tuesday, police officers arrested 25 protesters who had occupied Siemens Hall on the campus of California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. The protesters faced charges including unlawful assembly, vandalism, conspiracy, and assault of police officers. The university stated that the occupation was not a protest but criminal activity, and there were concerns it could spread further on campus. Protesters had taken over Siemens Hall on April 22 and refused to leave despite efforts by officials to disperse them.
On Monday night, campus police began trying to remove the protesters using loudspeakers to declare the protest an unlawful assembly. The protesters outside the building chanted and sang, with some linking arms in front of the building. Around 2:30 a.m., officers from various agencies in California moved in to arrest protesters and secure both Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East, which had also been taken over. The university decided to shut down the entire campus in response to the protest, and a “hard closure” was announced until May 10, one day before commencement.
The protesters had a list of demands that included disclosing the school’s investments in companies doing business in Israel, divesting from companies profiting from military action in Gaza, cutting ties with Israeli universities, and dropping charges against three previous student protesters. They also called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. University leaders stated that they were making a good-faith effort to respond to the demands on Friday. They offered the protesters a brief opportunity to leave with a guarantee of no immediate arrest but later asked them to leave the campus peacefully with no offer of immunity.
The protesters had set up dozens of tents around Siemens Hall after occupying the building, prompting the campus closure. The occupation of Siemens Hall also involved the seizure of the university president’s office. Despite efforts by officials to negotiate and persuade the protesters to leave the buildings peacefully, the occupation continued until the early morning arrest by police officers. The university condemned the protest as criminal activity and stated that the closure was necessary to maintain safety and order on campus.
The protest at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, ended with the arrest of 25 protesters and the removal of the occupation of administration buildings. The university took action to shut down the campus in response to the protest, which disrupted normal operations. The protesters made several demands related to the school’s investments, ties with Israel, and charges against previous protesters. University officials attempted to negotiate with the protesters to peacefully vacate the buildings before resorting to police action. The campus is expected to remain closed until May 10, with the incident raising concerns about criminal activity spreading further on campus.
