Two officers lifted a “Free Palestine” painted wooden barricade off the street as 13 law enforcement officers–several in riot gear–crowded around a crosswalk across California Boulevard. The final protester was handcuffed by a Cal Poly Police Department (CPPD) officer.
As the officer walked the protester over to a nearby police car, the protester yelled, “For the children of Gaza, with eternal revolutionary spirit, we break open the gates. Free Palestine!”
This was one of many chants during a pro-Palestine demonstration on May 23 that blocked one of Cal Poly’s entrances for four hours.
After more than 20 police vehicles arrived, eight individuals were arrested— four current Cal Poly students, one faculty member and three individuals not affiliated with Cal Poly, according to university spokesperson Matt Lazier.
Six of the arrestees now face misdemeanor and felony charges, some of them including students, according to a Cal Poly junior and protester at the scene, speaking anonymously in fear of retaliation from the administration.
Two individuals are scheduled to appear in court on June 6 and four others are scheduled for July 22, according to the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office (SLOSO) booking log.
“We had far more police presence than there were even student presents at the protest,” the anonymous student protester said. “They came on very aggressively, and without much care for students, [even those] who were not directly involved in the protests.”
CPPD also issued stay-away orders to all individuals arrested, temporarily banning arrested students and faculty from campus for 14 days and arrested campus unaffiliated individuals for 7 days, according to Lazier. He added that violation of the order will result in immediate arrest. The arrested student and faculty order will end on Thursday whereas the individuals unaffiliated with Cal Poly are allowed on campus as of May 30.
The protest’s purpose was to disrupt campus activities amidst Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza and to call for divestment from Cal Poly’s partnerships with defense contractors, according to a press release from Cal Poly Students for Quality Education (SQE) and Abolitionist Action of the Central Coast/San Luis Obispo (AACCS).
Of the four Cal Poly students arrested, one was charged with obstructing free movement in a public place by CPPD whereas the other was charged with vandalism amounting to over $400 by San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD), according to the SLOSO booking log. The other two Cal Poly students involved were cited and released on Thursday, according to Lazier.
“It was a very scary experience,” the anonymous student protester said. “However, we all persevered because we knew that it is nothing compared to what Palestinians are facing in Gaza and throughout the Palestinian territories.”
Cal Poly chemistry professor Jay Erker was arrested through SLOSO for a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest, according to SLOSO Public Information Officer Tony Cipolla. There was no bail and Erker was released on his own recognizance, Cipolla said.
Meanwhile, two campus unaffiliated individuals were arrested by CPPD, with the remaining one arrested by SLOPD. One of the campus unaffiliated protesters has a bail posted for $50,000 according to Sheriff’s custody records.
Two individuals unaffiliated with Cal Poly also face misdemeanor charges of failure to disperse during a riot, according to the Sheriff’s booking log. The third individual faces four charges: felonies 405(A) and 405(B), removing someone from police custody by means of a riot; misdemeanor 647(C), malicious obstruction of free movement in a public place and misdemeanor 148(A)(1), resisting arrest.
Five of the protesters were released from jail the day of the protest and the final protester was no longer in custody the following day, according to the Sheriff’s custody records.
There has not been any disciplinary action for students involved by Cal Poly’s Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, according to Lazier.
A variety of Cal Poly students and local community members organized the demonstration, along with support from faculty members and organizations such as Cal Poly’s chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), SQE, AACCS, the Central Coast Organization and the Central Coast Antiwar Coalition, according to another anonymous protester.
Staff and faculty were also seen speaking with protesters, including Dean of Students Joy Pedersen and several Campus Safety Officers.
During the protest, demonstrators requested a meeting and call with the administration, specifically Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong. In response, Pedersen informed the protesters that administration “would not probably call” and a meeting would not happen unless they left the demonstration, according to the anonymous faculty member.
Cal Poly YDSA publicized the pro-Palestinian coalition’s list of demands intent on calling for Cal Poly administration to support an immediate and permanent ceasefire; drop all disciplinary and criminal charges against student protesters; support the academic freedom of pro-Palestine students, faculty and staff; and create on-campus, community-led spaces for Palestinian and SWANA students more broadly.
“As a faculty member who is invested in diversity, equity and inclusion and who is really monitoring the freedom of speech climate on campus, Cal Poly admin is not standing in the middle,” said a faculty member speaking anonymously due to professional repercussions faced by outspoken colleagues.
The incident followed five months after a pro-Palestine protest outside the Cal Poly Recreation Center criticizing the presence of defense and missile companies at the winter career fair, which also resulted in eight arrests by CPPD and SLOPD.
More events in solidarity with the pro-Palestine movement are being planned, with support from organizations such as the Cal Poly Social Justice Coalition and the newly established Cal Poly chapters of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), according to the anonymous student protester.
“Keep your eyes out, keep your feet on the ground, be ready to work, be ready to risk what you can and we can get stuff done.”
Events of May 23
Here is a chronology of the day’s events, according to anonymous student and faculty sources witnessing the event and Mustang News reporters on the ground.
7:30 a.m. A handful of protesters set up a wooden barricade reading “Stop funding genocide!” blocking the intersection of California Blvd. and Campus Way. Further signs displayed at the protest included “Free Palestine,” “Cal Poly Divest From Genocide” and “40,000 Dead.”
AACCS publicized a “Call to Action” on their Instagram for supporters to attend the demonstration, followed by Cal Poly SQE and other organizations.
7:48 a.m. Cal Poly Police Department officers and a parking guard block roads surrounding the protest, diverting traffic to Campus Way.
9:02 a.m. Five protesters circle on the crosswalk chanting “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes!”
9:55 a.m. 3A/3B bus serving Foothill @ Casa, California @ Taft and Kennedy Library stops closed due to “activity on California Blvd.” according to SLO Transit.
10:14 a.m. Roughly 30 protesters now present, according to plant sciences professor Ashraf Tubeileh, a witness at the scene.
10:38 a.m. Protesters seen chanting “Armstrong, Armstrong, you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide!”
10:48 a.m. More than 30 officers from SLO Sheriff’s Office and California Highway Patrol arrived at the scene to answer a call for backup, according to Cipolla. Protesters chant “What do we want? Divest! When do we want it? Now!” circling the crosswalk.
10:49 a.m. One student protester is arrested by four police officers. Another protester approaches them and is restrained by police. The protester pushes an officer’s hand away and runs east on Campus Way as he is chased by an officer. An anonymous witness at the scene said this protester was quickly caught and arrested on Campus Way.
10:51 a.m. Another Cal Poly student is arrested at the intersection of California Blvd. and Campus Way.
10:54 a.m. Cal Poly Chief of Police George Hughes announces a warning to immediately disperse on a loudspeaker, declaring the event an “unlawful assembly.”
10:57 a.m. A fourth protester is arrested on the sidewalk of California Blvd. by two sheriffs.
11:01 a.m. Jay Erker and another Cal Poly student are arrested on the sidewalk of California Blvd.
A faculty witness told Mustang News one of the protesters moved to obey the dispersal order, then was immediately handcuffed.
“You just arrested someone who tried to disperse,” a protester yelled at police officers. “How can we believe a word you say?”
11:02 a.m. Hughes announces final warning to immediately disperse.
11:07 a.m. 18 sheriffs in riot gear move toward the demonstration. At this point, two demonstrators remain after chaining themselves to one of the wooden barricades on the crosswalk.
11:09 a.m. Final two protesters chant “Palestine will make you proud, bring the war home, we stand our ground.”
11:19 – 11:21 a.m. Police use bolt cutters to remove the last two demonstrators from the scene and arrest them. Final protester yells “For the children of Gaza, with eternal revolutionary spirit, we break open the gates. Free Palestine!” as police remove the wooden barricades from the crosswalk.
11:30 a.m. Two arrested protesters are loaded into a San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office van. Road is cleared.
12:40 p.m. 3A/3B bus stops reopened, according to SLO Transit.
Mustang News reached out to the four students arrested and have not yet received an agreement to interview.
Mustang News reached out to Jay Erker for a comment and have not yet received a response.
Mustang News reached out to Joy Pedersen for a comment and deferred Mustang News to university spokesperson Matt Lazier.
This is a developing story, Mustang News will update as more information becomes available.