About 45 protesters have been arrested at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, as they demanded that the school divest from military manufacturers and expressed "solidarity with Gaza" amid the war between Israel and Hamas.
CBS News reports that the arrests were made after the protesters refused the university's request to leave an encampment they established at Yale's Beinecke Plaza. The New Haven Police Department confirmed it assisted the university police officers around 6:30 a.m. on Monday. It said the people arrested have been charged with criminal trespass, a misdemeanor.
A Yale spokesperson says the students who were arrested will also be referred for disciplinary action, which includes a range of possible sanctions including reprimand, probation and suspension.
The group's so-called occupation of Beinecke Plaza began last week when students placed dozens of books outside the Schwarzman Center.
On Sunday, Yale University President Peter Salovey issued a statement that the university supports free speech and civil discourse and also must focus on campus safety and maintaining university operations.
"Many of the students participating in the protests, including those conducting counterprotests, have done so peacefully," Salovey said. "However, I am aware of reports of egregious behavior, such as intimidation and harassment, pushing those in crowds, removal of the plaza flag, and other harmful acts."
