Around 100 protestors were arrested at Northeastern University on Saturday morning amid a pro-Palestine protest, according to the university.
Northeastern University said the school’s police department along with local law enforcement started clearing an “unauthorized encampment” on the university’s Boston campus Saturday morning.
The encampment was set up at the school’s Centennial Common during this week. The protestors were told to leave.
Massachusetts State Police officers began arresting non-student protestors and taking down some encampments during the early morning hours on Saturday.
“What began as a student demonstration two days ago, was infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation to Northeastern,” the school said in a Saturday statement on the social media platform X.
“As part of clearing the site, approximately 100 individuals were detained by police,” the school said.
The institution stated that students “who produced a valid Northeastern ID were released” and will face “disciplinary proceedings within the university, not legal action.”
“Those who refused to disclose their affiliation were arrested,” the school added.
Northeastern is one of many colleges around the country that has dealt with pro-Palestine protests on their campuses with students protesting the Israel-Hamas war and pushing schools to disclose their investments.
The school said it took action to clear the protest encampments after “virulent antisemtic slurs” became incorporated into the protests.
“We cannot tolerate this kind of hate on our campus,” the school’s statement reads.
Huskies for a Free Palestine, the student organization leading the protest, said on Saturday that the administration “quickly provided false narratives” in regard to the encampment.
“We’re here because our university refuses to even address the catastrophic humanitarian crisis that the Genocide against Palestinians had created,” the group said on Instagram. “Northeastern refuses to cut ties to weapon manufacturers doing business with the Israeli military.”
The videos posted by the group on Instagram show protestors chanting “Free, free Palestine” and police officers present on campus in riot gear.
Northeastern said in an update that Centennial Common was “fully secured” and that campus operations have returned to “normal.”
“We want to thank NUPD, our Student Life staff, and the university’s external partners for their flawless execution this morning,” the school said on X.