Pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Utah were in possession of "makeshift weapons," police said.
The University of Utah is among the numerous colleges that have seen growing protests over the conflict between Israel and Hamas in recent weeks. On Monday, a group of protesters clashed with police at the Salt Lake City campus, resulting in at least 17 arrests, according to a press release from the Salt Lake City Police Department.
"Several of the criminal actors threw water bottles, rocks, and metal cans at officers. Others had make-shift weapons. One officer assigned to the University of Utah's Department of Public Safety received a minor injury," the statement reads.
The Context
Colleges, including the University of Utah, have found themselves embroiled in the domestic debate over the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Students have led protests against Israel's response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, raising concerns about the number of Palestinian civilians killed in the conflict. The concerns are shared by a number of global human rights organizations and an increasing number of Americans, according to some polls.
The protests have sparked criticism from some Jewish leaders, who say they make Jewish and Israeli citizens feel at risk as critics say some of these protests have veered into antisemitism.
About 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage during Hamas' October 7 attack. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, the Associated Press reported, citing local health officials, while more than 80 percent of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been displaced.
What We Know
More details about these "makeshift weapons" at the University of Utah remained unclear on Tuesday. Newsweek reached out to the Salt Lake City Police Department for comment via email.
About 300 students and community members participated in the protest, according to the Deseret News in Salt Lake City.
The university issued a statement to protesters at about 9:20 p.m. local time warning that erecting an encampment would be violating several university rules, according to a University of Utah Department of Public Safety statement.
"Please take your tents down immediately. If your tents are not taken down, they will be removed by law enforcement," the announcement reads.
Police arrived to disperse protesters just after 11 p.m. local time, according to the statement.
Keith Squires, the university's chief safety officer, wrote in the statement: "Utah college campuses around the state are not exempt from the significant unrest that currently exists in our country and world. Campuses serve as a stage and forum for not just students, but for members of the community who want their voice to be heard. We honor all voices, but the right to speech on our campus must occur within the confines of state law and campus policies."
Views
Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, wrote in a post on X: "We hold dear our First Amendment rights to protest and peaceably assemble. The First Amendment does not protect violence, threats to public safety, property damage, camping or disruptions to our learning institutions. We will protect protestors and arrest those who violate the law."
Mecha de U of U, an on-campus organization involved in the protests, wrote in a post to Instagram: "Shame on the University of Utah for allowing campus and state police to shoot rubber bullets at unarmed students."
University of Utah President Taylor R. Randall wrote in a statement: "I hold an unwavering belief in the power of freely expressed ideas to improve our state and world. I want the students and faculty who lawfully protested yesterday to know their voices are heard and matter. They are welcome to continue to express their views legally and peacefully.
"At the University of Utah, you have an absolute right to express your opinion. You do not have the right to violate law or university policy. It is unlawful to set up structures or camp overnight on university property."
What's Next
It remained unclear whether more protests would follow at the University of Utah. Final exams were expected to continue into Tuesday, with graduation events scheduled for Thursday, Randall wrote.
Uncommon Knowledge
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About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
