This is a developing story. We will update it as more details are confirmed.
Dozens of New Hampshire State Police officers, bearing riot gear, threatened students gathered on the Dartmouth Green with arrest Wednesday night as they set up an encampment protesting Israel鈥檚 war in Gaza.
The move comes six months after Dartmouth College administrators two students for an earlier Palestinian solidarity protest, and as students across the country mount similar demonstrations, many of which have also been met with strong . Police also arrested several students during a similar protest at the University of New Hampshire on Wednesday, .
The Hanover Police Department said in a release Thursday morning that 90 people were arrested at the Dartmouth protest for multiple offenses including criminal trespass and resisting arrest. Police say there were non-Dartmouth students among the people arrested.
In a statement provided to NHPR late Wednesday night, a New Hampshire State Police spokesperson said they "deployed personnel and various resources to the University of New Hampshire and Dartmouth College campuses in response to illegal activity and at the request of local law enforcement."
The Dartmouth encampment Wednesday evening followed a planned 鈥溾�� earlier in the day, coordinated by a mix of campus and community activists to highlight what they called 鈥渢he interconnected liberation struggles of Palestinians and workers around the world, Including those right here at Dartmouth and in the Upper Valley.鈥� Shortly after that event wrapped up, a group of protesters started setting up tents on the main college lawn, in the center of Hanover. Some gave speeches, waved Palestinian flags and chanted 鈥淒ivest Not Arrest.鈥� A group of students also encircled the encampment, mirroring a move seen on other campuses meant to make it more difficult for police to reach the protesters in tents inside.
Ahead of Wednesday鈥檚 demonstration, Dartmouth officials warned that student protesters could face sanctions or arrest. In a message sent to the campus community Wednesday afternoon, Provost David F. Kotz said school policies 鈥渟pecifically prohibit the use of tents and encampments on the Green and other areas of campus.鈥�
鈥淪tudents, employees, and organizations in violation of Dartmouth policies or local laws will be immediately subject to Dartmouth鈥檚 disciplinary processes, which could include separation and expulsion,鈥� Kotz wrote. 鈥淪tudents and employees violating local laws may also be subject to law enforcement action based on Hanover ordinances.鈥�
Police were lined up on the perimeter from the start of Wednesday evening鈥檚 rally, and as protesters began setting up tents, campus security officers passed out fliers notifying participants that they were violating school rules and ordering them to 鈥渃ease the disruption immediately.鈥� The fliers included a list of 鈥渁llowable activities鈥� (which included 鈥渟peech,鈥� 鈥渆xpressing viewpoints鈥� and 鈥渉olding signs in hands鈥�) as well as 鈥減rohibited items and activities鈥� (which included 鈥渁mplified sound,鈥� 鈥渢ents of any kind,鈥� 鈥渄emonstrations inside buildings鈥� and 鈥渟leeping鈥�).
Around 8 p.m., after campus security and Hanover police unsuccessfully ordered the gathering to disband, a group of state police in riot gear appeared on the scene. By 8:20 p.m., state police told students they had 10 minutes to vacate. Around 8:30 p.m., police again offered students five more minutes to clear the area. Shortly before 8:40 p.m., police declared that students were engaged in an unlawful assembly and ordered protesters to disperse.
They moved closer to students, and as of 9:20 p.m. it appeared as though police were starting to arrest people, though it wasn鈥檛 immediately clear how many.
Shortly before 11 p.m., student newspaper that four of the five tents set up at the encampment had been removed and "at least 25 protesters have been detained on the Green, including two staff members from The Dartmouth and history professor."
As the demonstration progressed, protesters shifted into chants of 鈥淭here鈥檚 no riot here, why are you in riot gear?鈥� They also called out Dartmouth President Sian Beilock for the university鈥檚 decision to arrest students during the protests last fall, chanting, 鈥淏eilock, Beilock drop the case, you can鈥檛 even show your face.鈥�
In a statement issued Wednesday evening, the ACLU of New Hampshire condemned the arrests, saying they were "highly concerned" by initial reports of the police response at Dartmouth and the University of New Hampshire.
鈥淯se of police force against protestors should never be a first resort," the organization said. 鈥淔reedom of speech and the right to demonstrate are foundational principles of democracy and core constitutional rights. We urge university and government leaders to create environments that safeguard constitutionally protected speech."
A spokesperson for the state police said Wednesday night that its officers are "committed to protecting the constitutional rights of Granite Staters while also ensuring those who violate the law are held accountable."
