11 arrested after protesters storm University of Minnesota administrative building, officials say
MINNEAPOLIS — Eleven people were arrested Monday after University of Minnesota officials released an emergency alert on Monday afternoon, saying protesters stormed Morrill Hall in Minneapolis.
The building, located on Northup Mall on the East Bank campus, is home to the university's administrative headquarters.
The alert stated protesters were "causing property damage and restricting entrance and exit from the building," and they had advised people inside to "safely exit" the premises immediately if possible.
Monday's protest was organized by the group UMN Students for a Democratic Society, which is calling on the university to divest from companies that support Israel — which the Board of Regents declined to do in August following weeks of pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus.
The protesters were equipped with tents and supplies, and said they planned to stay until their demands were met. Video posted online showed chairs stacked in front of an exterior door of the building, in an apparent barricade.
Photos on the group's Facebook page showed what appeared to be arrests being made.
"We plan to stay until they forcibly remove us," Merlin Van Alstein, an organizer with the group, said before the arrests. "The people inside aren't going to leave until they meet our demands or they are forced to leave."
The group renamed the building "Halimy Hall," in remembrance of 19-year-old Palestinian TikTok creator Medo Halimy who died in August in an apparent Israeli airstrike. The Israeli military said it was not aware of the strike that killed Halimy.
A spokesperson for the university released the following statement:
"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. With necessary support from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, UMPD entered the building at approximately 5:40 p.m. and arrested 11 people. No additional information is available at this time about the individuals arrested or the extent of damage to property.
An investigation is ongoing."
Minnesota Hillel's Executive Director Emily Boskof released the following statement regarding the demonstration:
"At Minnesota Hillel, our most important priority is keeping Jewish students safe — first, foremost, and always. We appreciate the administration and law enforcement holding students accountable for any violations of the code of conduct. We are in close communication with university administrators to ensure that they're doing everything possible to provide support and keep Jewish students safe. While these incidents grab attention online and in the media, most of the time, we are focused on the pride and joy of being Jewish. For example, we've also been focused today on celebrating Sukkot together. Hillel's doors are always open for all Jewish students."
Demonstrations at the University of Minnesota are expected to continue Tuesday, calling for the release of those arrested. Students are also demanding that no charges be brought against them.