On the evening of April 10, the Hurriya Coalition, a coalition of over 20 registered student organizations, held a rally outside the John A. Hannah Administration Building. The purpose of this rally was tied to the primary purpose of the coalition: to force the MSU Board of Trustees to divest from the state of Israel.
The rally began at 4 p.m. on the steps of the building. Students held up signs saying “Stop funding genocide,” and “Free Palestine.” Several speakers gave statements to the crowd, including one speaker who spoke about South African apartheid student protests, comparing those to the current Palestinian demonstrations.
Chants continued outside of the building for over 40 minutes, telling the MSU Board of Trustees to divest from Israel and that they would not back down. After the chants calmed down, the speakers announced that they would be moving to the interior of the building to continue. Moving inside, the group continued singing and chanting, singing songs common in worker labor movements of the past century.
Taking the microphone, an organizer announced that this was no longer just a rally — the coalition was now occupying the building until the board came and met their set of demands. Their demands included, as stated on their social media: putting divestment back on the discussion table, defending international and undocumented students, establishing a Middle East and North Africa Institute, establishing partnerships with Palestinian universities and scholars and bringing the social conscience clause investment policy back.
With this declaration, the group continued singing and chanting while other students brought in supplies to assist with the occupation. During these events, several members of the coalition were having a meeting with the Board of Trustees. Not long after the occupation was announced, the students left the board meeting, telling the group that their talks had ended without any change. Around this same time, the board began to leave the building.
After the board had entirely left, MSU Police arrived and stopped anyone else from entering the building. Anyone inside was allowed to go, however, no students, faculty or staff were allowed to enter — the building was officially closed. With the closure, the MSU Police began to warn the students and other community members inside that they would be arrested if they continued to occupy the building.
The coalition continued their efforts, marching around the interior of the building singing “Where you lie, I will lie, your people are my people, your people are my people, my struggles alive.” With the building locked down, several students and a faculty member attempted to enter and join the members inside, only to be told to stay outside by a police officer watching the doors. Press not already inside the building could not enter.
The occupation lasted several hours; students came and went from the entrance of the building, giving their support to the members of the coalition still inside the building. Several hours into the occupation, MSU Police gave out the first official warning to the occupiers that they were required by law to vacate the building or face arrest.
After the warning, many coalition members stayed inside the building while MSU Police stayed grouped together and secured all entrances. The police sent out their second warning. At this point, the coalition determined who was going to stay. Many of the occupiers proceeded to leave the building through the front entrance, chanting in support of those staying inside. Press inside the building were allowed to stay.
At this point, only the press, the remaining occupiers, and MSU Police remained inside. The coalition members inside grouped together, locking arms in a circle and singing. Around 20 members remained and stayed until the final third warning was given. Not long after the final warning was issued, MSU Police congregated inside with zip ties, preparing to arrest the group inside.
The MSU Police proceeded to arrest the remaining students one by one, reading them their rights before tying their hands behind their backs and walking them to another part of the building. The singing inside continued as each person was arrested until the final member was pulled away from view. A representative of the coalition informed Impact 89FM that 19 total occupiers were arrested.
The members of the coalition that had left the building before the final warning congregated at the exits of the building, singing in support. The arrested individuals were held inside the building for over an hour, with no communication to anyone outside. Coalition members stayed outside the building, condemning the university for arresting students instead of listening.
After this waiting period, the arrested individuals were eventually released from the administration building. According to a coalition representative, the arrested were charged with a misdemeanor and given a fine. None of the arrested were taken out of the building or placed in a police vehicle.
Following the release of the coalition members, the group celebrated before beginning a small march to Cowles House. After this march, the crowd dispersed, and the night’s events concluded.
