Crime & Safety
7 Arrested At Pro-Palestinian Rally At Brandeis University: Police
The arrests came just days after Brandeis officials banned a local chapter of Students For Justice In Palestine.
WALTHAM, MA — A protest at Brandeis University in support of Palestinians ended in several arrests Friday following a violent confrontation when authorities asked demonstrators to disperse, according to authorities and a report.
Waltham police confirmed seven people were arrested on charges including disorderly conduct, unlawful assembly and assault on police officers after the rally turned "unruly."
Those arrested were taken to the Waltham Police Station for booking, authorities said.
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According to a Boston Globe report, about 100 people attended the rally promoted by a group called “Revolutionary Student Organization - Brandeis.”
In an Instagram post, the group called on Brandeis to “stop supporting the genocide of Palestinian people through its engagement with the occupation’s economy and institutions," the Globe reported.
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No one was injured during the demonstration, police said.
More than 1,200 people were killed in an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants who targeted towns, farming communities and a music festival near the Gaza border. Israel has responded with weeks of attacks in Gaza, which have killed more than 11,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry — most of them Palestinian civilians.
The rally came just days after Brandeis officials banned a local chapter of Students For Justice In Palestine, claiming the group's stance on the war is antisemitic and supports Hamas.
On Wednesday, Brandeis University President Ron Liebowitz put out a statement to the school community saying it no longer recognized the chapter.
“All students, faculty, and staff are welcome here, and encouraged to participate in the free exchange of ideas,” Liebowitz wrote. “To promote such free exchange, we must not and do not condone hate, the incitement of violence, or threats against or harassment of anyone, be they Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Israeli, Palestinian, or any other religion or ethnicity.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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