Updated: Many Arrested at UMass as Police Dismantle Second Pro-Palestinian Encampment

Editor’s note: We will add to this story and links to additional reporting as new information becomes available.

Dozens of protestors, faculty supporters, and bystanders were arrested last night (5/8) on the UMass campus following the re-establishment of a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus’ south lawn that afternoon.  A previous encampment was dismantled on April 30.  Students have continued protests on the south lawn since April 29.  UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes has said that students would be allowed to continue to protest between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. provided they did not erect any structures.  Protest leaders said they had re-established the encampment in response to Israel’s latest incursion into Rafah as well as in response to the refusal of UMass to meet their demands to divest from corporations supporting Israel’s war in Gaza.

Reports on the number of people arrested varied with the Massachusetts Daily Collegian (MDC) reporting that over 64 people were arrested , Western Mass News reporting over 100 arrested,  the Amherst Student reporting that 130 arrested and WBUR and the Daily Hampshire Gazette reporting more than 130 arrested. MDC reports that the arrests were part of a massive police action that included UMass Police, State Troopers (including the State Police Special Emergency Response Team (SERT)), Town of Amherst police and members of the Hampshire Country Sheriff’s Department.  Witnesses also reported that Hadley police were present.  Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman reported in an email to the Amherst Town Council that Amherst police were only participating in a “backup role”. MDC reports that at one point there were 117 police vehicles parked in the vicinity of the Whitmore Administration Building.

Those arrested were initially processed at the UMass Police Department and later as large numbers were arrested, they were transported by PVTA bus for processing at the Mullins Center.  Among the arrested were members of amherst4 ceasefire, the sponsors of the successful ceasefire resolution that was adopted by the Amherst Town Council on March 4, 2024, and three UMass faculty.

Some of those arrested report being roughly treated, knocked to the ground, kicked, and hit with batons by arresting officers. Students who had been arrested reported harsh treatment including being zip tied tight enough to cause bleeding and shoulder injuries and being denies access to bathrooms for as much as 10 hours.

 Multiple news outlets report that the police initially arrested students at the encampment but later began to round up bystanders and witnesses, declaring their presence an illegal assembly. Bockelman reported that there were “no injuries on either side”. MDC reported that an ambulance was called for at least one injured protestor.

Earlier in the day students met with the Chancellor’s staff in an effort to set up a meeting with Reyes. UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski announced early in the afternoon that the Chancellor had agreed to meet with a small number of protest organizers. Students reported that Reyes met with them for about half an hour at 4 p.m. but while they were meeting, police were mobilizing outside of the Whitemore administration building. Students charge that Reyes told the students that he could not meet any of their demands, and that he ordered police to disperse the protestors immediately after his meeting with students. Students have been trying for months to arrange a meeting with the Chancellor to discuss their demands for disclosure of UMass investments in Israel and divestment from war but have been rebuffed. Blaguszewski issued the following statement later that afternoon.

 “UMass Amherst has a strong commitment to protecting the free and open exchange of ideas guaranteed by the First Amendment and the university’s founding values. Earlier today, a group of demonstrators constructed an unauthorized encampment – including wooden barricades – on the South Lawn of Student Union in violation of university policy. The Demonstration Response and Safety Team notified those present that, while they could stay and continue to demonstrate, as is their right, unauthorized structures must be removed.”

Students at the encampment were warned late that afternoon that they would be arrested if they did not comply with the directive to dismantle the encampment. Arrests began around 7:40 p.m. and were preceded by an email from Reyes’ to the UMass community stating:

“Moments ago, I asked the University of Massachusetts Police Department to begin dispersing the crowd and dismantling the encampment. Let me be clear – involving law enforcement is the absolute last resort,” wrote Reyes via email. “It saddens me to send this message tonight, but I am hopeful that our campus community will persevere to find common ground and come together in these challenging times.”

A group of a dozen members of the faculty met with Reyes on Wednesday morning, seeking to de-escalate the growing tensions on campus. They criticized the violent police assault on students peacefully protesting and encouraged Reyes to drop all charges and sanctions against the students, pointing out that Reyes was claiming to enforce rules that were not in the student code of conduct. They also pointed out that Reyes had the power to drop charges and sanctions but Reyes insisted that it was not within his purview to do so.

That morning, a petition began circulating among UMass students, staff and faculty calling for Reyes to resign.

A detailed chronology of the evening’s events is reported in MDC.

Read Additional Reporting on the UMass Arrests

• Massachusetts Daily Collegian:  Protestors Arrested in Waves Following Second Encampment
• Amherst Student: Over 130 Arrested During UMass Encampment
• Western Mass News: Several Arrested at UMass Pro-Palestinian Encampment
• WBUR:  More Than 130 Arrested After UMass Amherst Protestors Once Again Set up Encampment
• Daily Hampshire Gazette: More Than 130 Arrested at Pro-Palestinian Protest at UMass
• The Shoestring: After Violent Arrests, UMass Pro-Palestinian Protestors Seek Chancellor’s Ouster
• Amherst Indy: Report on the Meeting Between Student Negotiators and UMass Amherst Administration, May 7, 2024
  

Related
Two Thirds of Amherst College Faculty Vote in Favor of Divestment Resolution – The Amherst Student
Evergreen State College Agrees to Work Toward Divesting from Israel – Democracy Now
College Presidents Behaving Badly: Calling the Police on Students Sets a Dangerous Precedent – Chronicle of Higher Education
Why I Am Not Calling the Police on My Students’ Encampment- Portside