ST. LOUIS — Two Washington University students are speaking out after they were arrested following what they called a sit-in during a university event for potential students. They said they were among a dozen people arrested during the protest of the Israel-Hamas War.
The two students were not only arrested but also suspended from WashU and banned from the campus. They said that's not stopping them from fighting for what they believe in.
When the Student Government Association voted to ask the university to cut ties with Boeing, students said administrators gave them the runaround.
"The bombs and aircraft that they manufacture get sent over to Israel,” student R.J. Lucas claimed.
On April 13, students disrupted an event at the university chapel to make a point.
"This is an event where WashU is bringing admitted students here to sell them on WashU because these students have been admitted to other places,” student Daniel Cazares said.
In front of some 500 people, Lucas took the mic and said, "This event has been shut down by a group of students and St. Louis community members in support of Palestine."
"From the balcony, we have people essentially unfurl a banner, that actually ends up covering the projector … and we all get up and we’re chanting … We march our way up to the stage,” Cazares said.
Soon, police arrived, clearing the room and making arrests.
WashU said it can't comment on student conduct matters, but pointed out its policy on student demonstrations, which says, in part:
"... the rights to free speech, assembly and expression in the university community are subject to reasonable restrictions regarding time, place and manner, applied without discrimination toward the content of the viewpoints being expressed. These rights do not include the right to engage in unlawful activity … or any activity that disrupts or obstructs the functions of the university…"
"Their student conduct processes are wielded as a weapon to sow fear and intimidation into their students to ensure that they stay silent,” Cazares said.
A group of students and people from the community are planning a march Saturday. They're keeping those who are interested informed on their Instagram page.