Officials at Stony Brook University reported that 29 individuals were arrested during anti-Israel protests that took place on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. The arrests included students, faculty members, and individuals from outside the campus community who were found to be in violation of university statutes.
The peaceful demonstration turned disruptive as it escalated to include acts of intimidation, harassment of other students, and the unauthorized erection of tents, which violated the university's policy. The university stated that they had made efforts to prevent this outcome.
In an attempt to address the situation, university administrators proposed a meeting with President Maurie McInnis and Justin Fincher, the executive director of the Stony Brook Foundation, around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the demands put forth by the protesters in exchange for their departure from the Staller steps by 11 p.m. However, the protesters declined the university's offer.
Stony Brook University, a public research institution located on the north side of Long Island, approximately 60 miles east of New York City, has yet to provide further details regarding the incident and the status of those arrested.
