Pro-Palestinian demonstrators arrested after occupying Stanford president’s office

STANFORD, Calif. — Stanford University said 13 people were arrested as law enforcement removed pro-Palestinian demonstrators who occupied a campus building early Wednesday that houses the university president and provost offices, with the school saying there was damage inside and outside the building.

The takeover began near dawn on the last day of classes for the spring quarter. Some protesters barricaded themselves inside while other linked arms outside, The Stanford Daily reported. The group chanted “Palestine will be free, we will free Palestine.”

The student newspaper said one of its reporters was among those detained.

Within about two hours, officers had broken into the building and began taking people into custody.

“Law enforcement has arrested 13 individuals, and the building has been cleared,” university spokesperson Dee Mostofi said in an email to The Associated Press, saying later that, “A public safety officer was injured after being shoved by protesters who were interfering with a transport vehicle.

“There has been extensive damage to the interior and exterior of the building,” Mostofi said. “No other campus operations have been affected at this time.”

Stanford is among colleges and universities around the country where campus protests have occurred to demand their schools separate themselves from companies advancing Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and in some cases from Israel itself.

Columbia University agreed to take additional steps to make students feel secure on campus under a settlement reached with a Jewish student Tuesday.

The Associated Press has recorded at least 86 incidents since April 18 where arrests were made at campus protests across the U.S. More than 3,130 people have been arrested on the campuses of 65 colleges and universities. The figures are based on AP reporting and statements from universities and law enforcement agencies.

___

Associated Press journalist Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this report.