U of M students interrupt Board of Regents meeting in protest for divestment

A day after the Minneapolis City Council failed to pass a resolution supporting campus activists, a group of students interrupted a University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting Friday. They’re continuing to demand that the school divest from Israel and weapons manufacturers. 

About ten students interrupted the meeting twice. They stood up to chant and hold signs for several minutes. Each time, the board took a short recess, displaying a notice on a projector asking protesters to leave.

Students left after a few minutes of chanting during each interruption. Security guards followed them out of the building.

Junior Fae Hodges is an organizer with Students for a Democratic Society. They said students will keep protesting as long as administrators aren’t sitting down to discuss their demands.

“We just want it to be clear to the board and the administration and all of the people that work with them that this needs to happen, and that there is a will for it to be done,” Hodges said.

Students are also protesting the university's response to a student occupation of a campus building in October. Eleven students were arrested after entering Morrill Hall and blocking some entrances, and one student is facing criminal charges for allegedly spitting at an officer. University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham said students broke windows and spray painted security cameras inside, totaling $67,000 in damage.

Seven of those students are now facing up to two and a half years of suspension. Hodges said at least one was evicted from student housing. Those students are appealing their suspensions and awaiting a further ruling from the school, Hodges said.

The Minneapolis City Council had passed a resolution supporting non-violent protest at the U of M, but Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed it, saying the occupation was dangerous and was not protected speech. On Thursday, the council failed to override the veto. 

At Thursday’s meeting, Council member Robin Wonsley voiced her support despite the failed resolution.

“You all still remain some of the most brave and courageous people that inspired me, and I know a number of others, to stay in this fight, to fight for a free Palestine,” Wonsley said. “Your bravery is inspiring many folks to take bold and necessary action.”

Hodges said the support was welcome.

“We were super grateful for the support of a lot of the city council members who see the work that we’re doing as important, and also … as a right of all students,” Hodges said. “It was really unfortunate to see Mayor Frey veto the resolution.” 

Students protests are continuing despite the school’s announcement in August that it would not divest. The board also passed a new policy in August stating that it would put strict limits on when the school would consider divestment in the future, and issued renewed guidance on limitations to student protests, like locations, crowd sizes and hours. 

Hodges — and Minneapolis city council members who supported the resolution — say those policies are limiting students’ right to protest. Hodges said they’ve felt the school is disregarding student concerns this year, after taking steps in May to negotiate with protesters.

“Despite the repression, we’re still persevering. There’s nothing that the university can do to make us quietly go away,” Hodges said.

• Minnesota special education costs climbing rapidly as more students qualify for services
• Pine City school district to pay $65K to student who was racially harassed
• Frey vetoes measure supporting pro-Palestinian protesters who occupied U of M building