Several arrests were made after a protest at Brandeis University against the ban on the National Students for Justice in Palestine chapter. The demonstration devolved into hate speech, leading to the arrest of seven individuals on charges including disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Nick Stoico reported
The arrests occurred after a protest that took place on Friday afternoon in front of the Shapiro Campus Center at Brandeis University. The protest was organized by students and individuals from outside the university who were demonstrating against the recent decision to ban the Brandeis chapter of the National Students for Justice in Palestine. This decision meant that the group would no longer receive funding from the university or have access to campus facilities. The ban was imposed after the group made social media posts that were deemed by Brandeis President Ronald Liebowitz as celebrating or defending a terrorist attack on Israel carried out by Hamas on October 7.
During the demonstration, which lasted for about an hour, the police repeatedly ordered the crowd to disperse. Eventually, many of the protesters began marching away, but multiple officers were seen forcibly restraining and arresting individuals. Some of those detained were seen crying out as they were taken into custody. The Waltham police van was used to transport those arrested.
In response to the protest, President Liebowitz issued a letter to the university addressing the incident. He described the demonstration as having “devolved into the invocation of hate.” He specifically mentioned that the crowd had chanted the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which Brandeis administrators believe intimidates and silences members of their community. Liebowitz stated that this chant goes against the university’s principles of free speech and expression.
The individuals who were arraigned on Monday and identified as defendants were John Napoleone, Samuel Barbarwi, Carlton Williams, Gleb Partensky, Matthew Schriener, Eli Gerzon, and April Harwood. They faced various charges including failure to disperse, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, assault and battery on a police officer, and trespassing. Williams, Partensky, Schriener, and Gerzon were ordered to stay away from the university.
An Instagram account under the name Brandeis Students Against Police Violence announced a silent walkout scheduled for Monday morning. The posts emphasized the need for complete silence during the walkout and requested that only university-affiliated individuals participate.
Over 100 people participated in the silent demonstration on Monday, according to video footage from NBC 10. The participants sat in silence on the Great Lawn of the campus, wearing medical masks and holding up white pieces of paper.
The university did not provide a comment regarding the protest and subsequent events when requested.
Dean Jeffrey Shoulson of the School of Arts and Sciences sent a letter to faculty members on Sunday, providing guidelines on how to respond to students during the walkout. He urged professors to neither encourage nor discourage student participation and emphasized the importance of civil discourse and peaceful means of expressing differing opinions.
In conclusion, the arrests and subsequent events at Brandeis University following the protest against the ban on the Brandeis chapter of the National Students for Justice in Palestine have sparked controversy and raised questions about free speech on campus. The university’s response and the actions taken by law enforcement have drawn attention and prompted discussions about civil discourse and the right to protest..