What Does It Take to Be Heard?: The U’s Response to Protest Over the Years (Copy)
How has the U’s approach to protest changed?
Ariana Nguyen
If you’ve frequented the University of Minnesota campus, it’s very likely you’ve come across a protest. Over the past year, students and faculty have rallied together in response to the genocide in Palestine, urging the U to divest from Israel. As demonstrations continue to escalate in response to the U’s refusal to meet protestors’ demands, the validity of protest is being called into question by the administration and student body alike.
On October 21, students occupied Morrill Hall, renaming the building “Halimy Hall” after Medo Halimy, a 19 year old Palestinian TikTok creator who died last August in an Israeli airstrike. The details of the occupation protest differ depending on whether you ask the university or protestors. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) are among the most prominent student groups organizing protests. Video footage posted to their Instagram page shows protestors stating that individuals inside will be guided to exits, directly contradicting SAFE-U alerts claiming individuals were unable to enter or exit the building. After several hours occupying the building, students were forcibly removed by police, resulting in 11 arrests and the detainment of a Minnesota Daily journalist. In Rebecca Cunningham’s statement following the events, she states, “We have seen many peaceful protests this fall. However, what happened in Morrill Hall yesterday was not a form of legitimate protest.”
The U claims to have a commitment to student activism, and the history of protest at the U is long and complex. So how does the administration believe we should protest?
The official UMN Racial Justice webpage provides a link to an MNopedia article recounting the historic Morrill Hall takeover of 1969. During this demonstration, approximately 70 black students occupied Morrill Hall for 24 hours to protest the lack of an African American studies department and the hostile campus environment they experienced. While the University suffered thousands in property damages as a result of the occupation, the protest proved successful as the U created the Afro-American Studies Department. In 2012, the U created the Huntley House for African American Men, providing support to black students. The name honors Horace Huntley, a student leader in the Morrill Hall occupation who was arrested and convicted of unlawful assembly. It’s clear that the U is proud of its history of protest in retrospect, but when faced with an immediate conflict, their stance differs.
Third year student–Blair Kelly–recounted her experience participating in last spring’s encampment as a “disaster.”
“On the first night of the encampment I was at, dozens of cop cars were gathered on the streets around Northrop and they placed a loudspeaker that blared out a threat: move or we'll move you,” Kelly said. “I don't get it. I don't get why they need to use force, to physically hurt and arrest students, for making a bunch of noise and occupying a space. Property cannot be more important than human lives.” Kelly’s description of the three days spent on the Northrop lawn was riddled with police intimidation. In the end, nine people were arrested despite no clear evidence of violence.
The U’s tendency to rely on police in response to protest has often led to escalation. One of the most infamous cases includes the anti-war protests that occurred on campus in 1972. Thousands of protestors gathered over multiple days to express their discontent with the U.S.’s presence in Vietnam. Increased property damage and threats of arson resulted in Eugene Eidenberg — the then vice president for administration — calling in police. But rather than de-escalate the situation, police presence turned the campus into a warzone. Larry Davenport, a student journalist at the time, described increasing violence at a student-made barricade. Police wielded tear gas canisters and batons while protestors threw small projectiles such as eggs. In Eidenberg’s account of events, he described UMPD provoking students with shows of dominance. “Then they decided,” Eidenberg said, “Without any consultation, to physically disperse the students … It was a melee.” Minnesota police then used helicopters to douse the campus in tear gas. Children from nearby schools and patients of the University Hospital were put at risk as wind carried the tear gas throughout the surrounding areas.
Protest has a large impact on the community as a whole. Regardless of whether or not you choose to participate, it’s likely you’ve felt the effects in some way. Sue, a freshman at the University of Minnesota during the 1972 protests, spoke with the Minnesota Daily about her experience leaving class to find tear gas had taken over the campus. When asked about the importance of young voices, she said, “Just do it in a way that people will want to listen to.” Many students today seem to agree.
When prompted with the question “Do you believe students were justified in occupying Morrill Hall?” a majority of students who filled out the anonymous poll said no, and that they preferred other methods of protest. When given the opportunity to expand upon their answers and share comments, multiple students expressed a growing resentment towards protestors. Some students expressed grievances with protests disrupting their activities while other students felt that there was a lack of space for nuance and conversation. Many of these students questioned if protests on campus are productive at all — what the goals of these demonstrations are and whether or not it’s achievable. On the other hand, students who expressed support for the occupation felt it was a necessity due to both the scale of the conflict in Palestine and the U’s increased protest restrictions.
Despite the U’s claims to have a commitment to “peaceful” protest, their consistent retaliation against student voices tells a different story. Rather than listening to the hundreds of students who protested at her inauguration, Cunningham increased the restrictions for student protests with rules that clearly attempt to dampen student voices. For example, protests are limited to less than 100 people in attendance, one bullhorn, no tents, smaller banners only, and all protests must disperse by 10 p.m.
It’s clear that the U’s idea of a peaceful protest is an invisible one.