The group had established an anti-Israel protest encampment, which was subsequently cleared by the university's police.
A spokesperson for the university's Department of Public Safety informed Fox News Digital that the department had received reports of a group setting up tents on the northern end of the Northrop Mall. The spokesperson emphasized that such encampments, including tents and fires, have never been permitted on university properties or within buildings, in accordance with university policy and state trespassing laws.
The protesters were warned around 6 a.m. that their presence was in violation of these regulations. "The group was asked to disperse by 7 a.m. and told they would be arrested if they chose to stay past that time," the spokesperson said. While some chose to disperse and continue their peaceful protest, nine individuals decided to stay and were subsequently arrested without incident.
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Those arrested were charged with trespassing and taken to the Hennepin County jail. In response to the arrests, over a dozen demonstrations were held outside the jail, as reported by Minnesota Public Radio.
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The university issued a statement affirming its support for peaceful demonstrations and free speech. "In light of protests around the country and this morning’s activity on the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus, it’s important to note that the U of M supports and respects free speech through lawful protest," the statement read.
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Similar encampments have been established at Columbia University and New York University in New York City, and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. These protests have resulted in the cancellation of some in-person classes and additional arrests.
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Among those arrested at Columbia University was Isra Hirsi, the daughter of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar. Hirsi, 21, had earlier been suspended from Barnard College in New York City for "standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide." Omar publicly praised her daughter following her arrest.