Multiple pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested after conducting a sit-in protest at Hadley Hall on the New Mexico State University Campus.
In a written statement to KRWG, a university spokesperson said that the protesters were repeatedly asked to leave Hadley Hall, which closes for business at 5 p.m. Shortly before 6 p.m., the group was told to leave the premises or face arrest, which led to law enforcement detaining 11 individuals. According to the university, 5 are current students.
According to a statement from NMSU Interim President Mónica Torrez, university leadership had been meeting with the protesters regularly to encourage open dialogue, but said the events that happened at Hadley Hall were unfortunate.
“We have said from the beginning that people in the U.S. have a Constitutional right to protest peacefully. People do not, however, have a right to interfere with university operations, damage property, or to spit on or strike police officers.”
President Torrez said that NMSU’s commencement ceremonies will go ahead as planned.
Full Statement from NMSU Interim President Mónica Torrez from May 10th:
Update: This story was updated on May 13th, 2024 after NMSU issued a correction on the number of arrests made. The university said that 11 were arrested instead of 13 and that five arrested are current students. This story was also updated on May 10th with footage courtesy of the NMSU Journalism and Media Department.
