This Tuesday, April 30, protesters belonging to the group “Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society” protested in favor of Palestine and set up tents near Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza at USF.
School officials authorized the demonstration until 5:00 pm, and when that time arrived they requested that the property be cleared.
“USF respects the right to free expression and the protection of the constitutional right of individuals and groups on campus to assemble and express themselves freely without violating university policy or endangering others,” Daniel Nelson said at a press conference. , USF Police Chief.
According to the police chief, between 75 and 100 protesters had gathered around 2:00 p.m., who were told several times that the protest should end at 5:00 p.m.
“At one point, protesters formed a tight circle and linked arms in a show of strength,” Nelson said.
The police officer noted that the character of the demonstration changed when “one of the protesters began handing out wooden shields and umbrellas, evidence that the protest was no longer peaceful.”
“At 4:55 pm the protesters received a warning from the authorities that they had 15 minutes to end the demonstration and disperse.”
At that point, some protesters chose to leave, while the rest put on gas masks in defiance of authorities, Nelson said.
At approximately 5:20 p.m., according to the police chief, law enforcement issued direct warnings stating that the protest was over and that anyone who remained would be arrested.
“Before the situation could worsen, police released chemical agents – tear gas – and officers from the USF Police Department, the Hillbury County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department and members of the Highway Patrol Florida in a coordinated manner moved forward and arrested the protesters who refused to cooperate.”
“At 6:00 p.m. order was restored in the area.”
The police chief insisted on the idea that USF is a public university that respects freedom of expression and urged students to exercise it safely, in accordance with the policies of the center of higher education.
List of people arrested in connection with the protest:
Adnan Elyaman, 20, on charges of unlawful assembly, trespassing and resisting officer without violence.
Anas Khalid Juma, 21, was charged with resisting officer without violence, unlawful assembly, trespassing. Atah Othman, 39, on charges of trespassing, unlawful assembly, possession of a firearm on school property (felony), resisting an officer without violence.
Bailey Wagne, 24, charged with criminal trespass, resisting officer without violence.
Cameron Pressey, 27, on charges of unlawful assembly, trespassing, resisting officer without violence.
Daniel Powell, 32, on charges of unlawful assembly, trespassing, resisting officer without violence.
Emmanuel Atmosfera, 21, on charges of resisting an officer with violence, disrupting school or a lawful assembly, resisting an officer without violence, trespassing on school grounds after notice, aggravated assault with intent to commit a serious crime with a weapon (felony).
Jake Geffon, 23, charged with assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting officer with violence, trespassing.
Leonardo Tilelli, 23, charged with trespassing, unlawful assembly, resisting an officer without violence, assault on a police officer (felony), resisting an officer with violence (felony).
Sarah Fayiz, 25, charged with trespassing, unlawful assembly, resisting officer without violence.
On Tuesday, pro-Palestine protesters occupied a building at Columbia University in New York, which riot police had to clear. Demonstrations against the war take place on different university campuses in the country.
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