Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested after occupying building at University of Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — Police have arrested an unknown number of anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Minnesota after a group of students briefly occupied an administrative building, protest organizers say.

Some 30 protesters from the university’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society occupied Morrill Hall, an organizer with the group says, and a larger group gathered outside the building.

The group renamed the building “Halimy Hall,” in remembrance of 19-year-old Palestinian TikTok creator Medo Halimy who died in August in an apparent Israeli airstrike. The Israeli military said it was not aware of the strike that killed Halimy.

The Monday afternoon protest prompted an alert from school officials: “Protestors have entered Morrill Hall on the East Bank, causing property damage and restricting entrance and exit from the building,” the alert said. “If you are currently in Morrill Hall and able to safely exit the building, please do so immediately. Others are advised to avoid this area until further notice.”

A university spokesperson says he has no further updates. He does not immediately respond to a query to confirm the arrests. A woman who answered the phone for the university police says she has no information to give out beyond the earlier notification.

Ryan Mattson, a media liaison with the university’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, says some protesters from the group who were inside the building were arrested. He does not know how many.