About 130 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at UMass Amherst

“We have presented many paths to a solution, including in our conversations with protest representatives today,” Reyes said in the statement. “Our corresponding message was conveyed to the protesters at the camp by the Demonstration Response and Safety Team. The protesters rejected our offers for further civil dialogue to bridge our differences and refused to disperse their camp. We told protesters that failure to remove the tents and barriers could lead to arrests, but that is not the outcome we were hoping for.”

More than a dozen police vehicles arrived on campus late Tuesday afternoon, just hours after the pro-Palestinian camp was set up on the south lawn of the student union. Police and protesters did not initially interact with each other as student leaders met with UMass administrators, including Reyes, to discuss their demands, which include the university disclosing partnerships with Israel-linked companies.

Bella Falotico, a senior at UMass, said she noticed the mobilization of state, UMass and Amherst police on campus before the negotiation meeting with Reyes concluded. She also mentioned the officers of the special operations team. The police responded to the camp after the meeting ended, Falotico said.

“We were there for several hours before the police arrived, and during that time there was not an ounce of violence,” said Falotico, a member of UMass Students for Justice in Palestine. “They were the only violent presence, the only brutal presence in this camp… Any escalation that occurred last night is entirely due to (the administration’s) decision to demobilize the State Police, the State Rapid Response Team and the UMass Sending police to a peaceful demonstration.”

The police were equipped with riot gear and “exhibited an absurd level of brutality and violence,” Falotico said by phone on Wednesday, adding that she saw police officers dragging protesters out of the crowd and taking action against them. Falotico herself was not arrested Tuesday, but was one of more than 50 UMass students arrested in a similar protest last semester.

“There were people hurt by police,” Falotico said. “All of this happened within 12 hours of camp recovery.”

UMass student protesters set up a similar camp last week but tore it down after one night due to threats of arrest from the administration, Falotico said. Organizers took a week to regroup and prepare for interaction with police before rebuilding the camp on Tuesday, she said.

By 1 p.m., student demonstrators had set up about 20 tents and fenced off the area with wooden fences and pallets. Protesters formed groups based on whether they were willing to be arrested by police. The “red team” inside the camp was ready to face arrest, and the “orange team” of 20 to 30 protesters stood guard outside. Some protesters folded their arms around the camp.

On Wednesday morning, the ACLU of Massachusetts expressed concern about the arrests at UMass.

“While other campuses across the country have engaged protesters in productive dialogue, we are deeply concerned that University of Massachusetts Amherst leaders have chosen to invite armed police officers into a protest environment on campus,” said Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, in a statement.

“When universities decide to involve police in nonviolent demonstrations, it increases tensions and creates unacceptable safety risks for all students, faculty and community members,” Rose said. “Campus administrators have a duty to protect the safety of students on campus; At the same time, they must take all necessary measures to protect students’ right to protest. Calling heavily armed police on students’ political statements is an inherently dangerous decision.

“As protests continue, including at Harvard and MIT, the ACLU continues to call on campus officials and police to show restraint and engage in dialogue and other nonviolent approaches – not violence.”

Stephen Karam, chairman of the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees, said in the statement that the board has “full and unwavering support” for Reyes.

“We have absolute confidence in his leadership, integrity and commitment to our students,” the statement said.

Protest leaders from Students for Justice in Palestine and UMass Dissenters said they met with the administration at 4:30 p.m. and demanded that UMass meet at least two of their demands, withdrawing from profiteering from the war and dismantling ties to Raytheon and study abroad programs with Israel, as well as dropping civil lawsuits against 57 students who were arrested at another protest in October.

The meeting did not go as hoped, they said, and they encouraged protesters to stay there and protect the camp.

At 7:25 p.m., about 30 officers in riot gear from the three departments began moving into the protest area and asked everyone to disperse. About 100 protesters linked arms and surrounded the encampment, while about 300 more were pushed off the lawn and police began arresting protesters in groups of five inside the compound.

Officers, some armed with paintball guns, crowbars and batons, arrested protesters who engaged in “active resistance” to surround the camp or inside the camp perimeter. According to student journalists from the Massachusetts Daily Collegian who were at the scene, some protesters were threatened with pepper spray if they approached officers making arrests.

Jake Fitzpatrick, a UMass freshman, said that at 9:15 p.m. police “formed a large line.” Fitzpatrick said he was pushed against a light pole by police trying to control the crowd and was told he had to move immediately or “he’ll get shot.” As Fitzpatrick tried to move, another officer came up behind him.

“At this point I’m sprinting. I’m like, ‘I’m done with this,'” Fitzpatrick said. “I don’t know what he meant by ‘shot’ – I assume paintball or pepper spray.”

By 1:30 a.m. all tents, signs and barriers at the camp had been dismantled and disposed of by police. About 70 people continued to protest on the lawn as the UMass Police Department was crowded and officers began detaining people at the Mullins Center, the campus arena.

According to the court, those arrested will be arraigned in the Eastern Hampshire District Court next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

John Ellement of the Globe staff contributed to this report.

This breaking news story will be updated.

Amanda Kaufman can be reached at [email protected]. follow her @amandakauf1. Madeline Khaw can be reached at [email protected]. follow her @maddiekhaw.