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A group of pro-Palestinian protesters barricaded themselves inside the Stanford University building that houses the office of the president on the morning of June 5. The takeover lasted for about two hours, according to the university.
The students described themselves as an “autonomous group” that is “reclaiming our President’s office in the name of divestment and a Free Palestine,” according to an Instagram account associated with the occupation.
Stanford announced that all students who participated in the occupation will be immediately suspended. Seniors who are involved with the protest will not be allowed to graduate, according to the university.
The account from Liberate Stanford showed photos of a sheet unfurled on a balcony inside the building with the words, “Dr. Adnan’s Office,” an apparent reference to Palestinian surgeon Dr. Adnan al-Bursch, who died in April while in an Israeli detention facility in the West Bank.
The student publication Stanford Daily reported that about 10 protesters entered the Main Quad building at about 5:30 a.m. on June 5. At about 7:15 a.m., deputies from the Stanford Department of Public Safety broke a glass window and then used a crow bar to enter. They then proceeded to arrest the protesters, according to the student paper.
According to the university, one public safety officer was injured after being shoved by protesters who were interfering with a transport vehicle.
Videos from the Liberate Stanford account showed deputies trying to break through a pane on a building door while protesters chanted, “No Justice, No Peace” and “Free Palestine!”
Students associated with the protest also issued a statement early this morning stating that the decision to occupy President Richard Saller’s office comes “as the direct consequence of Stanford administration refusing to engage with peaceful protesters’ demands, including heeding its own policies, despite overwhelming support from the student body.”
“Stanford advertises itself as a beacon of progress, diversity and achievement, with a stated mission of promoting ‘public welfare,'” the statement reads. “Meanwhile, military industrial research thrives in Stanford laboratories, with defense firms openly recruiting on our campus as registered University affiliates.”
The Stanford Daily reported that the some of the protesters who remained outside the building spray-painted the ground, which was then power-washed by the university’s janitorial staff.
“A group of individuals this morning unlawfully entered Building 10, which houses the offices of the president and provost,” the university said in a statement. “The Stanford Department of Public Safety has responded to the scene and is assessing the situation. Other campus operations have not been affected at this time.”
According to the university, 13 individuals had been arrested and there had been “extensive damage to the interior and exterior of the building.” By Thursday morning, one of the students had bailed out of the Santa Clara Main Jail.
“We are appalled that our students chose to take this action and we will work with law enforcement to ensure that they face the full consequences allowed by law,” the university said in a statement. “All arrested students will be immediately suspended and in case any of them are seniors, they will not be allowed to graduate.
“We have consistently emphasized the need for constructive engagement and peaceful protest when there is a disagreement in views. This was not peaceful protest and actions such as what occurred this morning have no place at Stanford.”
After clearing out the building, Stanford University officials moved to dismantle the encampment at White Plaza that pro-Palestine protesters had established last fall. In a statement to the Stanford community, Saller and university Provost Jenny Martinez wrote that the encampment had violated numerous university policies since its installation last fall.
While the university’s Office of Community Standards is moving through the disciplinary process for the students to address these violations, Stanford had allowed the encampment to remain before the June 5 occupation, according to the statement.
“The situation on campus has now crossed the line from peaceful protest to actions that threaten the safety of our community,” Saller and Martinez wrote. “This began with the recent occupation of Building 570 and has now escalated into today’s deeply unfortunate events. In the interest of public safety, the encampment has been removed.”
Saller and Martinez stated that they are “appalled and deeply saddened” by the protester’s actions, which included “extensive graffiti vandalism on the sandstone buildings and columns of the Main Quad.”
“This graffiti conveys vile and hateful sentiments that we condemn in the strongest terms,” Saller and Martinez wrote. “Whether the graffiti was created by members of the Stanford community or outsiders, we expect that the vast majority of our community joins us in rejecting this assault on our campus.”