70 students, 6 faculty among 132 arrested at UMass Amherst

AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – More than 100 were arrested at UMass Amherst Tuesday evening as the community grappled with the university’s response to the re-establishment of the pro-Palestinian camp.

UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes issued a statement late Wednesday evening regarding his response and next steps for dialogue on campus. The statement to the campus community began by saying that Chancellor Reyes made the decision to use law enforcement to disperse the encampment to ensure the safety and well-being of students and members of the campus community.

A total of 132 people were arrested Monday evening and Tuesday morning, including 70 UMass Amherst students and six UMass Amherst faculty members. Reyes continued to say that he spent Wednesday meeting with student faculty and stakeholders on campus, including discussions about discipline for those involved.

Reyes also called for a special meeting of both Student Government and Faculty Senate next week so that he and the university’s leadership team can engage in dialogue and answer questions about what he called a “challenging episode.”

Members of the Student Government Association held a rally on the camp grounds Wednesday afternoon, calling for support in a vote of no confidence in the chancellor. The ACLU and the Massachusetts Teacher’s Association also commented on the university’s response overnight.

Statement from UMass President Marty Meehan:

“On behalf of the University of Massachusetts, I want to express my full support to Chancellor Javier Reyes and his leadership at UMass Amherst. From the moment he stepped onto the Amherst campus, he has proven himself to be a dedicated and thoughtful chancellor, deeply committed to our students and their education, well-being and safety. He is widely respected by his team, the broader community and our Board of Trustees. We saw this overwhelming support firsthand when he was sworn in as chancellor of UMass Amherst in April.

The circumstances on the Amherst campus are far from isolated and are part of a national trend seen on college and university campuses across the country. Chancellor Reyes and his team have engaged in good faith discussions, identified meaningful paths to resolution, and done everything in their power to sincerely engage and protect students’ rights to free speech.

Chancellor Javier Reyes has my full support and trust, and I am grateful for his exceptional leadership of the UMass Amherst campus.”

Statement from Chairman of the Board of Trustees Stephen Karam:

“As Chair of the UMass Board of Trustees, I would like to offer Chancellor Javier Reyes the Board’s full and unwavering support. We have absolute confidence in his leadership, integrity and commitment to our students.”