An occupation of Siemens Hall at Cal Poly Humboldt that started Monday is ongoing. Every entrance to the building was barricaded Tuesday morning after activists successfully kept out a line of police in riot gear from evacuating students the previous evening. Three were arrested at the scene, according to the university, where hundreds of protesters eventually gathered.
Cal Poly Humboldt estimated dozens of students are still in the building.
Activists Tuesday said the building was chosen because administrators work out of it. The occupation calls on the University to divest from companies that sell weapons to Israel. They join a smattering of actions at U.S. universities this week.
“They are not leaving or moving until the university is completely divested from Israel,” said Jasmine Jolly, who was helping coordinate breakfast outside the building Tuesday morning. The Times-Standard was not granted access inside the building.
The protesters began the action around 5 p.m. Monday. A university news release said classes there were canceled and classes taking place at the time of the occupation were evacuated, with the building shut down after protestors refused to leave voluntarily.
Police presence, from a variety of agencies in the region, increased as the day progressed. It’s unclear exactly how many police eventually arrived at the campus, with eyewitnesses guessing dozens of officers. A group of police outfitted with riot equipment attempted to enter the building, met by a line of activists blocking them.
Video taken by reporter Ryan Hudson for Redheaded Blackbelt inside the hall during a clash shows police in riot equipment forming a line and hitting protesters with batons and arms, and activists shoving back and hitting police with a lange empty water jug. Scanner traffic reported a CHP riot team from Redding responded. EPD spokesperson Laura Montagna said that a Law enforcement Code 30, where every law enforcement available to respond was sent out, which prompted EPD to arrive.
“We ended up with like two lines of students to where the police were, they eventually said we want to leave, will you please let us out,” said Jolly, who said the protesters made a path for the police to leave.
Monday night, around 11:30 p.m., the police all left, according to Cal Poly Humboldt.
RELATED: Pro-Palestinian protesters set up tents on UC Berkeley campus, vow to stay until the university divests from companies in business with Israel
The university announced Monday night the campus would be closed through Wednesday due to safety concerns, with some classes continuing online. The university cited protestors barricading themselves in the building as the reason.
“Several protestors inside have barricaded themselves inside the building with furniture, vandalized parts of the building, and blocked entrances and elevators with tents, violating fire codes and creating extreme safety hazards for those inside,” a Monday night news release said.
It is unclear how many people were injured in clashes between police and those occupying the building.
Students surrounding the building Tuesday celebrated occupying a building in the protest movement, which has prompted action at universities like Yale, Michigan’s Ann Arbor, Columbia and New York.
The Associated Press reports the death of more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in the Hamas-Israel war, following an Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel and has spelled a humanitarian crisis as Israel’s bombing of civilians continues.
Cal Poly Humboldt’s police department refused to answer questions about Monday, saying questions must be sent to the university’s marketing and communications department. Phone calls and email questions went unanswered before the Times-Standard print deadline.
Cal Poly Humboldt called the situation dangerous in a news release and warned people to stay away. Activists who spoke with the Times-Standard said the police sparked the violence.
“When the police were here, the tensions were so high and they were so aggressive. They were assaulting students. They carried a girl out by her arms and legs. Their presence made a very angry, hostile kind of environment. And now this morning, you see there’s no police and there’s just a lot of people sitting around drinking coffee talking about what’s going on in Palestine,” said Greg Bee outside the building Tuesday.
An Instagram post from Humboldt for Palestine, who noted they did not organize the occupation but it was an “organic CPH student organizing movement” said the students are not negotiating until divestment happens. The post said students have further demands.
A Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine flag hung over the building’s sign Tuesday. “Stop Genocide,” “Free Palestine River to Sea,” was spray painted on the Theater Arts building.
Jolly noted local activists have tried other methods like a ceasefire resolution passed by the Arcata City Council and an attempt to have Eureka pass a similar resolution, plus weekly protests in front of the courthouse.
Sage Alexander can be reached at 707-441-0504