Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, California, has closed its campus through Wednesday after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied and barricaded themselves inside Siemens Hall Monday evening, where students also attacked police officers.
Humboldt for Palestine shared their “demands” on Instagram:
Breaking! Cal Poly Humboldt students have taken Siemens Hall in solidarity with students across the nation occupying campuses for Palestine. Their demands as we understand them are as follows:
1. For CPH to disclose all holdings and collaborations with the zionist entity.
2. Academic Boycott, cut all ties with israeli universities.
3. Divest from all ties to the zionist entity including companies complicit in the occupation of Palestine.
4. To drop all charges and attacks on student organizers.
5. An immediate ceasefire and end to the occupation of Palestine. Students are requesting support as follows: Bodies to join them in the occupation of Siemens hall.Students, faculty, and community members to immediately call the university and UPD and pressure them to deescalate, allow the students to protest peacefully. You can contact UPD at 707-826-5555 and demand these students are allowed to express their first amendment rights!
Ultimately, the building was shut down after they did not leave, Aileen Yoo, a university spokesperson, told SFGATE.
The university is “concerned about the safety of students who remain in the building” and is asking them to leave, Yoo said.
A video shared on X shows students inside the building screaming at police before beginning to attack them. One student, holding a large water bottle, begins hitting police repeatedly.
This may be the greatest video I have ever seen
Via @zerosum24 pic.twitter.com/OzsLmkj8GK
— Jack Poso (@JackPosobiec) April 23, 2024
Officials at Cal Poly Humboldt confirmed to SFGATE that three students were arrested in connection to the protest.
At approximately 8:30 p.m. Monday, the university announced that the campus would be closed through Wednesday because it believes the protest is a “dangerous and volatile situation.”
“The University is deeply concerned about the safety of the protestors who have barricaded themselves inside the building,” the statement read. “The University is urgently asking that the protestors listen to directives from law enforcement that have responded and to peacefully leave the building.”
