Yale Students Arrested for Protesting University’s Investments in Weapons Manufacturers
Yale University police and New Haven police officers arrested approximately 45 protesters for trespassing during a demonstration against the university’s investments in arms manufacturers that supply Israel. The protesters were given commands to leave the Beinecke Plaza, where they had gathered to demand that Yale divest from these companies.
According to police, the protesters refused to leave and were charged with trespassing. They were transported to a Yale Police facility, processed, and released.
The protest, which began on Friday evening, saw hundreds of protesters calling for Yale to divest from arms manufacturers and building an encampment on campus. At its peak, over 400 people gathered outside the Schwarzman Center in Beinecke Plaza.
The students involved in the protest expressed solidarity with recent Columbia University protests, where students were arrested and suspended for similar demonstrations. They condemned the mobilization of police against students who were exercising their right to peaceful protest.
The protest group, Occupy Beinecke, stated that Yale holds thousands of shares in index funds from defense and weapons manufacturers that aid Israel’s war with Hamas. They demanded that the university divest from these companies, which they believe are complicit in the slaughter of civilians and the razing of Palestinian land.
Despite the pressure from protesters and students who have sent over 2,000 letters urging Yale to act, the university has not yet signaled that it would divest. The protesters have vowed to continue occupying the Beinecke Plaza until Yale meets their demands.
