Four Northwestern University employees face charges for obstructing police during pro-Palestinian protests in April

EVANSTON, Ill. (WLS) – Four people who faced misdemeanor charges following pro-Palestinian protests on Northwest University’s campus earlier this year are university employees, one of the employees confirmed to ABC7 on Thursday.

The charges were for obstructing a police officer during protests at Deering Meadow in April and were issued by the Northwestern University Police Department, a university spokesman said Wednesday.

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In a statement from the spokesperson, it said, among other things: “While the university permits peaceful demonstrations, it does not permit activities that disrupt university operations, violate the law, or involve intimidation or harassment of members of the community.”

Three months ago, when most students were still in class, protests against the Israeli-Palestinian conflict swept the nation’s universities, including Northwestern University in Evanston. Northwestern University reached an agreement with demonstrators to end protests on campus, but assistant professor Alithia Zamantakis said that was not the end. She is one of four university employees who have now been charged with allegedly obstructing police after participating in the protests.

“When I refused to come in, they came to my office and I was basically arrested and charged,” Zamantakis said.

The assistant professor said Northwestern University police read her her Miranda rights in her office on campus. She believes the charges are a violation of the academic freedom that faculty and students at the university should have.

“There is a genocide going on and I acted in accordance with it… they tried to silence us,” Zamantakis said.

Northwestern confirmed the allegations in a written statement, which also said: “While the university permits peaceful demonstrations, it does not permit activities that disrupt university operations, violate the law, or involve intimidation or harassment of members of the community.”

Zamantakis disagrees.

“In our opinion and that of our lawyer, these are false charges,” said Zamantakis. “We hope that the prosecution will drop the charges.”

The charges were filed with the Cook County District Attorney’s Office. The Class A misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $2,500.

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