April 27 (UPI) — Police arrested more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters at Boston’s Northeastern University on Saturday after school officials claimed the student demonstration was infiltrated by outsiders.
University police, Massachusetts State Police and local law enforcement cleared the encampment on the private university’s Centennial Commons after university officials decided to require protesters to leave.
“What began as a student demonstration two days ago was infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation to Northeastern,” university officials posted on X Saturday. “Last night, the use of virulent anti-Semitic slurs, including ‘kill the Jews,’ crossed the line. We cannot tolerate this kind of hate on our campus.”
State Police said in a statement its officers “directed protesters to disperse and MSP members assisted in removing protesters who refused to leave.
“Approximately 102 protesters who refused to comply with orders to disperse were arrested and will be charged … with trespassing and disorderly conduct.”
Police transported those arrested to the Suffolk County jail for booking and processing.
University officials said students who presented student IDs weren’t arrested but will be dealt with through the university’s disciplinary system for violating its code of conduct and won’t face charges.
Only those who refused to provide valid student IDs or who refused to disclose their affiliations were arrested and will face charges.
Some pro-Palestinian protesters say the “kill the Jews” chant heard during this week’s wave of student protests across the country is coming from counter-protesters who support Israel in its war with Hamas.
Like similar recent protests at college campuses, the demonstrators at Northeastern are demanding the university divest its investments in companies with business ties to Israel, WBTS-TV reported.