Minneapolis city council urges U of MN to drop charges against pro-Palestine protesters
Minneapolis, MN – On December 3 and 5, activists from the Free Palestine Coalition and Students for a Democratic Society came together at the Public Service Center while the Minneapolis city council voted on a proposed resolution to stand in solidarity with the protesters arrested during the occupation of Morrill Hall – renamed Halimy Hall – at the University of Minnesota.
The resolution, proposed by Councilmember Robin Wonsley, states that the city council will stand “in solidarity with nonviolent student activism for Palestinian human rights,” urge “the University of Minnesota to work with campus advocates to accomplish their goals of divestment from the State of Israel,” urged the “University of Minnesota to rescind all academic charges, suspensions, and evictions of student protesters,” and encourage the city attorney to “consider dropping any charges against nonviolent protesters arrested at the University of Minnesota on October 21, 2024.”
Currently, the seven student protesters have been levied with academic suspensions ranging from one to five school semesters and fined $5000 each by the university for alleged property damage. One of the protesters, Robyn Harbison, is currently facing a trumped-up charge by the University of Minnesota Police Department of fourth degree felony assault.
On December 3, the resolution passed the Committee as a Whole by a vote of 7-6. At a press conference after the meeting, speakers affiliated with pro-Palestine activist groups on the university campus community delivered their remarks on the resolution and the ongoing repression of student protest on campus.
Sima Shakhsari, speaking for Educators for Justice in Palestine (EJP), commented on the university’s desire to constantly laud the Morrill Hall takeover of the 1970s during the Civil Rights Movement as an example of its commitment to free speech while repressing the most recent occupation.
Shakhsari stated, “There's been over ten occupations of Morrill Hall, but this is by far the harshest punishment the university has ever given for an occupation, and we must ask ourselves why that is.”
A member of Students for a Democratic Society spoke at the press conference about the new U of MN administration, stating, “The new President Cunningham has shown to be increasingly hostile towards student protesters. She began her career as president by instituting an extremely repressive protest policy, banning gatherings of groups larger than 100 people, amplified sound, and banners larger than 11 by 14 inches.”
The resolution was voted on by the full city council on December 5. Students and other pro-Palestine protesters packed the meeting room, where city council members commented on the resolution before voting began. Councilmember Linea Palmisano repeated university admin lies that the protest was dangerous to staff that were escorted out of Morrill during the occupation, claiming, “These protesters broke windows, spray painted cameras, and took staff members hostage for hours without allowing them to leave the building.”
Other council members expressed their support for the students and the resolution. Councilwoman Aurin Chowdhury stated, “We have no way of knowing how these excessively severe punishments will harm the future of these students. The future they are inheriting already looks bleak, having witnessed the genocide of Gaza on their phones every day for over a year with no end in sight, and criminalizing these protests will not stop more young people from standing up for Palestine.”
Councilman Jeremiah Ellison stated, “We cannot equate broken windows to a maimed child. We cannot equate spray paint to buildings leveled. We must recognize that no act of protest can compare to the level of destruction being levied against the people of Palestine, and that until the genocide in Palestine ends protest will continue.”
The resolution passed December 3 with 7-6 vote in favor. It passed again December 5 with another 7-6 vote in favor, and it has since been vetoed by the mayor. Protesters vow they will continue to push back against repression.