BLOOMINGTON, Ind — Monday marked the fifth day in a row students at Indiana University in Bloomington camped out, protesting the war in Gaza.
So far, police have arrested 57 people.
Monday saw protestors camped out in the rain, but police did not come in to demand the tents come down.
Protestors continued with their same message, calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and independent statehood for Palestinians.
Closer to home, protestors said they wanted IU to cut all ties with companies and lobbying groups that support the Israeli government and the ongoing war.
“To stop investing hundreds of millions of dollars to drones that are eliminating our people,” said Malik Arab, who said he has family in the West Bank and Gaza.
Protestors also continued to call for the resignation of IU President Pam Whitten and two other administrators, objecting to the university’s suspension earlier this year of a professor who oversaw a student organization supporting Palestinians, as well as the cancellation of an art exhibit featuring a Palestinian artist.
They also want to see IU create a cultural center for Muslim and Middle Eastern students.
“We continue to stay until our demands are met,” said Bryce Greene, one of the protest organizers. Green said he was arrested Saturday and was banned from campus for five years. He said he’s appealing that suspension.
IU put out a statement Sunday, saying Saturday’s arrests came after police repeatedly warned students to take down tents in Dunn Meadow.
“Many of these arrests were, in fact, targeted, targeting organizers,” said Aidan Khamis, who was also arrested Saturday.
According to IU’s administration, they recently changed their policy on allowing tents in Dunn Meadow during the day. Now, students who want to put them up require a permit from the university. IU says the policy change came after incidents of antisemitism were linked to student encampments at universities across the country.
Protestors say that’s not happening in Bloomington on IU’s campus.
“There hasn’t been a single fight that’s broken out here,” Arab said.
“Last time I checked, our policies are about what’s happening in Bloomington, not at Columbia, not somewhere else,” said Maria Bucur, a professor who was camped out Monday, wearing robes and academic regalia she would normally wear to a graduation ceremony.
Across the country, some universities have canceled graduation ceremonies amid ongoing pro-Palestinian demonstrations and encampments on campuses.
IU’s commencement is set to take place Saturday, May 4. A spokesperson for the university said there was no change in the time or place for Saturday’s graduation.
Bucur says she won’t be attending because of how the university has handled the demonstrations in Dunn Meadow, explaining she watched students get arrested on Thursday.
“I was scared, and I think everybody was around here, and it was shocking because at the time that police started to circle and to close in, all that the students were doing was to chant, dance, to stand around. There was absolutely nothing violent going on. It was what students do at Dunn Meadow on a regular day,” Bucur said. “I can’t do it. I cannot be there and salute these people and pretend like they have any authority. I can’t."
Of the 57 people arrested on Thursday and Saturday, four were faculty.
The university has encouraged students and faculty to appeal any trespass ban from campus that may have come with those arrests, saying in most cases, the ban could be suspended during the appeals process so students and faculty could finish out the year.
Emotions ran high during finals week Monday morning outside the administration office on the Bloomington campus.
"Peaceful, nonviolent demonstrators in a park with a tent were met with military levels of force. If that makes sense to you, I'm sorry, we're just on different planets,” Greene said.
“The cop told me to step back, and I said, ‘no’ because I'm not going to let someone with weapons get closer to my students. Who would do that? Why would I do that?" faculty member Barbara Dennis said.
They're now out of jail facing a trespassing charge.
"I said, ‘Don't touch me. Don't touch my body. I'm not hurting you. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here in peace. Stop pushing me,’” Dennis said.
Dennis attended the rally from across the street because she's banned from campus for a year. Her case is under review. She's hoping can be on campus for academic purposes.
President Whitten sent a letter to the campus community, saying in part, "Free speech on our campus will never be impeded. There have been no changes to the opportunities and rights for free expression on campus."
While the end of the year is typically a time for celebrating, many plan to continue protesting.