ST. LOUIS – Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein was among more than 100 people arrested Saturday during a protest at the Washington University campus.
Washington University confirmed Sunday that police arrested 100 people on Saturday night on its campus connected to a protest that erupted over the war in Gaza. Students, faculty, and activists were among those arrested.
Stein told Nexstar affiliate NewsNation on Sunday that she plans to go to the E.R. to have a doctor look at injuries she claims she sustained while being arrested.
“We were asked by students to come and participate and stand with them,” said Stein in a virtual interview with NewsNation. “You actually see us standing with some of the Aldermen of St. Louis, who are also taking the part of the students in their right to protest, their right to discuss and [raise attention] to a very critical issue in American foreign policy right now and their right to free speech. We were there, and basically the police charged us despite our efforts to deescalate.”
St. Louis Board of Alderman President Megan Green and Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier took part in Saturday’s protest too.
The group, ‘Faculty for Justice in Palestine at WashU’ rebuked the university’s actions, saying they’re “horrified by the violent use of force used against protestors.”
The university released a statement on Sunday regarding their response to the protest. It can be read here or below:
On Saturday, April 27, a large group of individuals entered the Washington University campus with the intention of causing a significant disruption to the university. The group, which included WashU students and employees as well as many individuals not affiliated with the university, marched to multiple campus locations, pitched tents, and indicated that they did not intend to leave. They also put out a call for more people to come to campus to join their demonstration.
It quickly became clear through the words and actions of this group that they did not have good intentions on our campus and that this demonstration had the potential to get out of control and become dangerous. When the group began to set up a camp in violation of university policy, we made the decision to tell everyone present that they needed to leave. We arrested 100 individuals who refused to leave after being asked multiple times. This number includes 23 WashU students and 4 university employees. All face charges of trespassing and some may also be charged with resisting arrest and assault, including for injuries to three police officers who sustained injuries including a severe concussion, a broken finger, and a groin injury.
We are firmly committed to free expression and allow ample opportunity for voices to be heard on our campus. However, we expect everyone to respect our policies and we will take swift action to enforce them to their fullest extent.
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