Nine University of Georgia students were among the 16 people arrested Monday for trespassing at an Israel-Gaza protest on the university campus, according to the UGA police department.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported 10 students were arrested. However, one person was a UGA graduate, not a current student, according to a person familiar with the matter.
According to the UGA police’s field case report, campus police were made aware Monday of an encampment “involving temporary structures and fencing” at the Old College lawn at 6:30 a.m.
Just before 7 a.m., police issued an order for the group to disperse, the report said. UGA Dean of Students Eric Atkinson and Associate Dean of Students Jan Davis Barham later informed the group that individuals would be arrested if they did not comply with university policies.
At 8:15 a.m., UGA police officers moved into the encampment to remove it and demonstrators linked arms in a semi-circle. Ten minutes later, UGA police chief Jeffrey L. Clark provided a statement to the group and issued a five-minute time period to disperse.
The statement read: “The University has informed you that this event is in violation of University policy and cannot continue. You are ordered to disperse. Anyone who does not do so will be arrested for criminal trespass and may be subject to additional consequences including student disciplinary action.”
All 16 people arrested were released from jail by Monday night, spokesperson for the Athens-Clarke County jail confirmed.
All nine UGA students have been suspended from the university pending appeal, according to two students who were arrested. As of Wednesday morning, UGA had declined to confirm or comment on how many students were suspended.
All arrested individuals who were not UGA students were barred from all university property and campus transit for two years, the police report said.
The youngest of the seven non-students arrested was born in 2008 and the oldest was born in 1993. The others were in their 20s.
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