MSU police arrest 19 after refusing to vacate administration building during pro-Palestinian sit-in

Yahoo

11-04-2025

MSU police place a student protestor in handcuffs after they refused to vacate the Hannah Administration Building. April 10, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
17 MSU students and two community members were arrested Thursday evening by Michigan State University police officers inside the Hannah Administration Building during a pro-Palestinian sit-in protest held inside the building's lobby.
The arrests came around 8 p.m. after MSU Police Lieutenant Kim Parviainen gave the third and final warning for the demonstrators to leave the building.
The confrontation occurred after a rally organized by various student organizations, including the Hurriya Coalition and Students for Justice in Palestine, or SJP, among others, and a subsequent meeting between MSU officials and members of these student organizations inside the administration building.
During the rally, at least 50 people, including students, MSU faculty, and community members, gathered at 4 p.m. at the doors of the MSU administration building to demand answers and future actions regarding the revoked visas of MSU students, the university's stance on divestment from Israel, and its position toward Trump administration policies.
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'The point of education is to come to understand more about the world, more about history, and our relationship to the time we live in right now', said Zadok Miller, 20, pre-law, political science, and English student. 'So, for our institutions to remain neutral and not provide active support for students who are affected by fascism is very hypocritical.'
On April 7, the visas of several international MSU students were revoked by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security without any explanation. They were among the hundreds of visas revoked for international students across the country and dozens more across the state of Michigan.
It's part of an effort by the Trump administration to revoke visas of foreign students who may have been involved in pro-Palestinian activism or protests, as well as those determined to have engaged in antisemitism through social media.
The Office for International Students and Scholars recommends that international students should have a plan B in case they need to complete their studies remotely and if they are unable to access their Student & Exchange Visitor Information System to verify their status.
As a result, on Wednesday, April 9, MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz issued a campus letter to MSU students, expressing his concern about the current situation and his commitment to ensuring a safe space for international students and scholars.
'I am in Washington, D.C. today, meeting with congressional leaders and speaking about these concerns and the anxiety our students and university community are experiencing', wrote Guskiewicz in his letter.
Although Guskiewicz's words somewhat pleased the rally attendees, they did not convince them about his stand.
'It was better than some other things he released in the past, but it lacks a clear plan of action to actually protect international students,' said Jesse Estrada White, 21, a Comparative Cultures and Policies student and member of the Hurriya coalition movement. 'We are glad he was in Washington, but we want to see policy changes that will protect our international classmates.'
Chants such as 'Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel's crimes' and 'This is what democracy looks like' were heard during the rally, which continued without incident, along with some speeches by students and the general public.
Around 5 p.m., a group of 14 students and members of the organizations engaged in a pre-arranged dialogue with the MSU Board of Trustees to clarify and address the demands these students brought to the table.
Among their demands, the students highlighted divestment from Israel, Saudi Arabia, and weapons manufacturers, adding social conscience back into investment policy, the creation of a Middle East North Africa/Arab Studies Institute, and protections for international students.
Before the demands were presented, the Board of Trustees was informed by the students that, while the conversation was taking place, some students were peacefully occupying the building and that the occupation would be lifted if an agreement was reached on the demands.
'No one in this room, and no one downstairs, wants to be in this position, but the reason for this meeting is not confrontation; it is by resolution. The occupation is the way to raise urgency and concern among our students', said Nasim Barghouti, 21, President of SJP.
Trustee Dennis Denno stated that it is was if the trustees started with a gun to their heads
After clarifying the actions taken up to that point and the disagreements on the part of the board, Trustee Mike Balow stated, 'The fact that we're here is something, so let's get started.'
The meeting lasted a little over an hour, with back-and-forth between both sides over the demands, but in the end, they did not reach an agreement.
Regarding international student protection, the demands from student organizations included: providing legal assistance for students in immigration or visa-related cases; ensuring that the Department of Public Safety does not cooperate with ICE; guaranteeing that all international students have the opportunity to complete their degree online if deported; and committing to join the Rutgers Faculty Bill, an official resolution proposed by the Rutgers University Senate to create a mutual academic defense compact among the universities that are part of the Big Ten academic alliance.
Regarding ICE cooperation, the executive director of public safety, Mike Yankowski, stated that the Department of Public Safety does not cooperate with federal agents unless there is a court order or a process involving crimes.
President Guskiewicz stated that any support for international students facing deportation would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and that, so far, no student has been deported. He also acknowledged by answering the demands that there is currently no program in place to guarantee the completion of their studies in such situations and that no efforts have yet been made to develop one.
In addition, Trustee Brianna Scott explained that there are multiple factors, such as internship credits, in-person lab requirements, and housing location, that justify evaluating each deported student's case individually.
At the end of the meeting, David Hogan, 20, a social relations and policy student and member of the Hurriya Coalition, stated that no agreement was actually reached and that the board was constantly making quick excuses for their demands.
At 6:30 p.m., two police officers were at the doors of the administrative building, and in front of them, in the lobby, were dozens of students and the general public chanting and haranguing anti-genocide chants while marching around the first floor.
From time to time, those inside the building would sit in circles, hold hands, and sing or give speeches.
Only 17 people stayed after the three warnings given by the police. They were singing, giving each other emotional support. One by one, they were handcuffed and taken to the east wing of the building while students outside protested against the arrests.
By the minute, more students were arriving at the protest, reaching more than 50 people outside the building, waiting for the transport of those arrested to the police station.
However, it wasn't until nearly 10 p.m. that everyone was released through the south door of the building. They had been processed inside the building and charged with trespassing.
This is the second time pro-Palestinian student activists have been arrested and charged with trespassing in less than a year for a sit-in demonstration inside the MSU administrative building. In October, five student protestors were arrested for trespassing after also refusing to leave the Hannah Administration Building.
'They handcuffed us and processed us inside; they didn't take us somewhere else, and we were charged with trespassing,' said Laura Sager, 72, who was arrested at the administration building.
MSU police place a student protestor in handcuffs after they refused to vacate the Hannah Administration Building. April 10, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
MSU police place a student protestor in handcuffs after they refused to vacate the Hannah Administration Building. April 10, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
Demonstrators at a rally organized by various MSU student organizations, including the Hurriya Coalition and Students for Justice in Palestine. April 10, 2025. | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
Demonstrators at a rally organized by various MSU student organizations, including the Hurriya Coalition and Students for Justice in Palestine. April 10, 2025. | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
Demonstrator at a rally organized by various MSU student organizations, including the Hurriya Coalition and Students for Justice in Palestine. April 10, 2025. | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
Demonstrators at a rally organized by various MSU student organizations, including the Hurriya Coalition and Students for Justice in Palestine. April 10, 2025. | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
Demonstrators at a rally organized by various MSU student organizations, including the Hurriya Coalition and Students for Justice in Palestine. April 10, 2025. | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
Demonstrators at a rally organized by various MSU student organizations, including the Hurriya Coalition and Students for Justice in Palestine. April 10, 2025. | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz and MSU trustees talk with students demanding protections for international students and divestment from Israel, among other things. April 10, 2025. | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
MSU Trustee Dennis Denno speaks with students demanding protections for international students and divestment from Israel, among other things. April 10, 2025. | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
Student protestors, holding hands in solidarity, refuse to vacate the Hannah Administration Building. April 10, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
Student protestors, holding hands in solidarity, refuse to vacate the Hannah Administration Building. April 10, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz