Seven people who were arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest at UConn were in court on Wednesday.
They were arrested last week at an encampment that was set up on UConn's Storrs campus and charged with criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct. They were arraigned in Superior Court in Rockville Wednesday morning.
Jacqueline Allen stood outside the courthouse in the rain with signs in hand in support of those who were being arraigned.
“Here to support the students from UConn that are going into court that were arrested at the encampment,” Allen said. “I’m very proud of them for standing up. I’m very proud of them for risking their safety and their freedom and I’m very proud of them for showing the nation what consciousness looks like.”
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UConn said they only arrested students after the group ignored repeated warnings to take down tents that were put up. Some students argued the arrests were a step too far though.
More than 300 faculty members at UConn are also throwing their support behind students.
In a letter to the school’s president, faculty wrote that they “deplore the actions taken by the UConn administration to suppress nonviolent student protests on campus,” calling it “unwarranted” and “disproportionate.”
The letter continues to say that the actions are “inconsistent with the university's role in protecting free speech and civil discourse” and urged that the school drop the charges against students.
“Now that the arrested students have been released and called to court, we call for the university to immediately drop criminal charges against them, to refrain from any disciplinary actions against them, and to offer them the opportunity to make up any missed exams or final papers," the letter reads.
In New Haven, more than 40 students from Yale were arraigned following arrests on their campus.
Craig Birckhead-Morton was among the students arraigned and said he was the only one who’s been arrested twice.
The first time time was April 22 when police cleared their encampment, and again on May 2 while protesting for Yale to drop the charges against students.
“We want Yale to drop the charges,” the senior said. “We don’t want Yale to first and foremost waste the time of its students, but also waste the time of the state of Connecticut when it comes to prosecuting us and portraying itself as a victim in this scenario.”
Outside of court in New Haven, dozens of people gathered in support of the students.
“We have students here who are facing charges, fellow students just coming out in support of us, faculty coming out in support of us, administrators coming out in support of us, so we’re feeling very cared for in this moment in which higher level administration is really neglecting us,” Birckhead-Morton said.
A UConn spokesperson provided the following statement about Wednesday's court proceedings:
“UConn supports the state’s attorney’s recommendation to let the students apply for the court’s first-time offender program if they choose to exercise that option. The program, also known as accelerated rehabilitation, would allow for dismissal of the charges if the student(s) complete program requirements as determined by the court.”
