BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana State Police has released body camera video showing the arrests of dozens of people during Israel-Hamas war protests on Indiana University's campus in Bloomington.
The protests took place April 25-27 at IU’s Dunn Meadow. The activists were calling on the university to cut ties with any companies or lobbying groups that support the Israeli government.
More than a month after the protests, the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office announced it would not file charges against 55 people who were arrested.
According to a release from IU at the time, the protesters were arrested for not removing tent structures after being warned it violated university policy — a policy that was only changed days before the arrests. The original policy called for tents to be removed by 11 p.m.
In May, the ACLU of Indiana filed a lawsuit against IU on behalf of three people who were arrested.
Those three are part of the group of people who were also arrested. All of them received a trespass ban from campus for at least a year.
The lawsuit names IU professor Dr. Benjamin Robinson, IU graduate student Madeleine Meldrum, and Bloomington resident Jasper Wirtshafter as plaintiffs in the case.
The ACLU of Indiana says it could expand the lawsuit to include others who were also arrested and received trespass bans from campus.
The lawsuit takes issue with the bans from campus that Meldrum, Robinson and others are facing, saying those bans violate their free speech rights.
However, Meldrum later learned the trespass ban she was facing had been temporarily suspended after she appealed it. That allows Meldrum to return to campus for the time being.
That doesn't mean, though, it's all a done deal.
RELATED: 55 arrested at Indiana University during Israel-Hamas war protests in April will not be charged
Even though the ban from campus is on hold while Meldrum appeals it, she could still face that ban if the appeal process doesn't go her way.
Robinson is in the same position.
"This muzzle put on us and the arbitrary way in which it's been imposed does not give me confidence that the appeal will be properly heard and I will be able to return to my duties and express my free speech rights in any reasonable manner," said Robinson, who, like Meldrum, is hoping the ACLU's lawsuit against IU can help.
"IU is telling these people, 'We don't care what you want to say. We don't care that we have a place reserved for you to say it. We're not going to let you go there,'" said Ken Falk, with the ACLU of Indiana.
13News reached out to IU for comment on the lawsuit. A spokesperson said they don't comment on pending litigation.
Protesters 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.
RELATED: Marion County prosecutor charges 14 Gaza war protesters for blocking Meridian Street in April
Across the country, some universities canceled graduation ceremonies amid pro-Palestinian demonstrations and encampments on campuses.