Several Pro-Palestinian Protesters Arrested At Ohio University

Several Pro-Palestinian Protesters Arrested At Ohio University - GlobalCurrent24.com
Several Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Ohio University campus, according to videos spotted on X, formerly twitter.
More than two dozen individuals were detained Thursday night on Ohio State University’s main campus as pro-Palestinian protesters demanded the university divest from Israel.
The Lantern, Ohio State’s student newspaper, reported that at least 30 individuals were detained on the main campus’s South Oval. The Lantern believes that roughly 250 people were demonstrating at the time of the arrests, but there were about 350 by 5:30 p.m.
The arrests occurred during around five hours of demonstrations in which protesters set up tents on the South Oval and led chants and prayers, according to The Dispatch. Protesters were reportedly warned many times to disperse, despite the fact that the demonstrations were non-violent. According to The Lantern, Ohio State police stated that the protesters violated university space restrictions.
Dozens of police officers and State Highway Patrol officers with shields came just after 10 p.m. and began detaining activists, according to sources. The Dispatch says that demonstrators began leaving the Oval just after 11 p.m.
There have been continuing protests at universities and colleges around the country as students demand that institutions withdraw from firms that invest in Israel. Two Ohio State students were detained on Tuesday during demonstrations.
According to OSU spokesperson Ben Johnson, state law bans Ohio State from divesting in Israel.
The Gaza conflict began on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing over 1,200 people. But Israel’s approach has sparked criticism.
According to the Associated Press, the battle has killed over 34,000 Palestinians, with children and women accounting for at least two-thirds of the total. It has decimated Gaza’s two major cities and left a trail of ruin. Approximately 80% of the territory’s population has evacuated to neighboring areas of the beleaguered coastal enclave.
As the arrests occurred, Ohio State University administrators issued the following statement: “Camping and overnight events are prohibited by well-established university rules.” Demonstrators utilized their First Amendment rights for many hours before being told to disperse. Individuals who refused to leave despite repeated warnings were detained and charged with criminal trespass.
Five activists have been detained on campus this week. On Tuesday, two students were detained for disturbing university activity, and three additional persons — a graduate student, an employee, and someone unrelated to the institution — were arrested Wednesday and charged with criminal trespass for refusing to clear the area and leave.
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