At least 13 anti-Israel protesters were arrested at Stanford University on Wednesday when demonstrators stormed the president’s office and plastered hateful graffiti across the campus.
The takeover began around 5:30 a.m. on the last day of classes for the spring quarter when protesters barricaded themselves inside while others linked arms outside chanting ‘Palestine will be free, we will free Palestine.’
The university said the protesters caused ‘extensive damage’ to buildings on campus.
Photos posted on social media showed ‘F*** Amerikkka’ spray painted on a memorial for soldiers killed in the Spanish-American War.
In a post on Instagram, the group Liberate Stanford said an ‘autonomous group of students’ had occupied the office of university president Richard Saller.
At least 13 anti-Israel protesters were arrested at Stanford University when demonstrators storm the president’s office
Photos of the damaged campus posted on social media show ‘F*** Amerikkka’ was spray painted on a memorial for soldiers killed in the Spanish-American War
The students have called on the school to divest from companies linked to Israel’s war in Gaza, among other demands.
A video posted by the National Students for Justice in Palestine showed one activist wearing a face covering, glasses and a keffiyeh saying the group refused to leave until the school divests and discloses their 2022 financial year investments and give amnesty to all student protesters.
Police used a crowbar to enter the building about two hours after the demonstration began, according to the Stanford Daily.
Within about two hours, officers had broken into the building and began taking people into custody.
‘Law enforcement has arrested 13 individuals, and the building has been cleared,’ university spokesperson Dee Mostofi said.
The students occupied the university president’s office demanding the school divest from companies linked to Israel ‘s war in Gaza
Police used a crowbar to enter the building about two hours after the demonstration began
‘A public safety officer was injured after being shoved by protesters who were interfering with a transport vehicle.
‘There has been extensive damage to the interior and exterior of the building,’ Mostofi said. ‘No other campus operations have been affected at this time.’
The university said 13 people were arrested and the school newspaper, the Stanford Daily reported one of its journalist was among those detained.
Stanford is among many colleges and universities around the country where pro-Palestine campus protests have taken place.
Within about two hours, officers had broken into the building and began taking people into custody
Some protesters barricaded themselves inside while other linked arms outside chanting ‘Palestine will be free, we will free Palestine’
In May, someone at the Stanford encampment was pictured wearing the same green headband sported by Hamas terror fighters in Gaza.
Along with the headband, they were wearing a face covering, glasses, a keffiyeh draped around their shoulders and is looking down at a phone, averting their gaze from the camera.
Representatives of the institution delivered the following statement regarding the photo: ‘We have received many expressions of concern about a photo circulating on social media of an individual on White Plaza who appeared to be wearing a green headband similar to those worn by members of Hamas.
‘We find this deeply disturbing, as Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the United States government. We have not been able to identify the individual but have forwarded the photo to the FBI.’