Trespassing charges filed against KU students arrested during pro-Palestine protests – The Lawrence Times

Trespassing charges have been dismissed against three University of Kansas student protesters who were arrested on campus in May.

The students had protested with a student organization, KU Students for Justice in Palestine, May 9th.

Sam Allison-Natale, executive director of Kansas Holistic Defenders, was one of the attorneys representing students Valerie, Kareem and Sadie, whose full names he declined to release. Two are currently attending KU and the other has graduated since the event.

Allison-Natale said students and legal counsel were informed on Wednesday of this week that the city of Lawrence had filed an order dismissing all three cases. He had filed a motion in Lawrence Municipal Court in July saying there was no probable cause for the arresting officer.

Although the dismissal was based on the Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government, Allison-Natale pointed to another concern.

“These three students were peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights, as every person of conscience should do in the face of unconscionable violence against the Palestinian people,” Allison-Natale said in an emailed statement. “The police decided to arrest and detain the students, which is a violation of the US Constitution. This violation of their rights is unacceptable.”

KU SJP had set up camp on the lawn in front of Fraser Hall. Earlier in the day, university leaders told the group that the campsite had to be cleared by 10 p.m. They said whoever stayed there brought items identified as “camping paraphernalia” – defined in a letter as “furniture, bedding, tarps” and other items – would be removed by law enforcement.

Around 11:15 p.m. that evening, dozens of officers from various agencies arrived and told protesters to leave or they would be arrested for trespassing. As police prepared to approach, protesters took to the sidewalk. Eventually they began marching down Jayhawk Boulevard, followed by police.

Some of the group dispersed, but others eventually made their way to the Anschutz Library, which was open to students overnight because final exams were taking place that week. Shortly after midnight, KU police arrested the three students in the library on suspicion of trespassing.

Allison-Natale's motion says KU Police Sgt. Robert Blevins arrested the first students he saw in the library who appeared to be part of the protest group. It said officers did not investigate to determine the identities of the three students, disclose where they were allowed to be before their arrest, or give them an opportunity to leave.

According to the application, two of the three students wore keffiyehs, scarves, to show solidarity with Palestine.

People who did not appear to be involved in the protest were seen entering and leaving the library without being spoken to by police.

In addition to the criminal charges, the three students also faced disciplinary action from the university, but have since been acquitted. The SJP organization also faced disciplinary action. Under KU's Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, the university is permitted to initiate its own proceedings against students who have violated laws or campus policies.

Allison-Natale said after a hearing in August, KU's disciplinary administrator concluded that neither the three students nor SJP as a whole had violated the code of conduct.

A KU spokesperson did not respond to an email seeking comment by the time of publication Friday evening. The university did not respond to questions asked in this release about the arrests.

Maya Hodison (she/her), stock reporter, can be reached at [email protected]. Read more about her work for the Times here. Check out their employee biographies here.

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