Police began making arrests Monday morning after hundreds of Yale University students and New Haven residents attended a pro-Palestinian protest that lasted throughout the weekend outside the Schwarzman Center and Beinecke Plaza area.

New Haven Police officials said Yale officers charged about 47 people with first-degree criminal trespass after they refused to leave a protest in the area of the Beinecke Plaza around 6:30 a.m. Monday.

They were transported to a Yale Police facility, where they were processed and released, according to police.

The protests started when students placed an encampment of tents outside the center where a Board of Trustees meeting was being held with top Yale officials Friday evening.

Yale released a statement Monday afternoon saying they notified protestors numerous times about disciplinary actions from police and that they offered the opportunity to meet with trustees if they left the plaza by the end of the weekend.

“Today, members of Yale’s police department isolated the area and asked protestors to show identification; some left voluntarily. When others did not comply after multiple requests, the Yale Police Department (YPD) issued summonses to 47 students, according to the most recent report from the chief of YPD. Students who were arrested also will be referred for Yale disciplinary action, which includes a range of sanctions, such as reprimand, probation, or suspension.”

Students chanted “Shame on them” and “We will not be moved.”

The protest continued throughout the weekend and News 8 crews began seeing police move in and arrest protestors early Monday morning.

New Haven Police said after the 6:30 a.m. arrests, about 200 protestors returned around 8 a.m. and were seen blocking the intersection of Grove Street and College Street.

As of 10 a.m., the protest was ongoing.

New Haven Police said they have no current plans to make arrest of non-violent protestors.

Faculty for Justice Palestine-Yale (FJP-YALE) reaffirmed its Solidarity with “Books not Bombs” in the full statement below, released Sunday.

On Monday, the Occupy Beinecke group said they are calling for “divestment from military weapons manufacturing.”

The group said police told them they would get three warnings to vacate the early morning protest, but were only given one before arrests started.

They said police said “refused to allow arrestees to collect medication and other necessities” and would not answer when asked what the protestors were doing wrong.

“The cops completely ambushed us. It was 6:40 a.m. Most people were still asleep when the cops decided to come in from multiple directions,” student protestor Chisato Kimura told News 8 Monday.

Group leaders also said the Yale University administration offered protestors a meeting with two Yale trustees on the condition the encampment be taken down. However, protestors declined the offer because they felt it would be unproductive.

“We’re paying a lot of tuition to be here. We want to know where our money is going. We want to know where our investments are going as students,” Kimura said.

Over 60 professors have also signed a letter detailing their concern for the safety of the Jewish community on campus.

“As you understand, the need for our letter was triggered by the criminal behavior and ongoing discrimination against Jews on the Yale campus that culminated in violence on Saturday night.”

The letter above was sent to Yale University President Peter Salovey.

This is a developing story. Stick with News 8 for updates.

Originally Posted By middletownbob:
these people are destroyin this country. God forgive we have another 9/11 event, i remember the unity of people as i went to Baghdad and meant alot of others over there who joined the service because of....i dont think this would happen in the USA again just sayin...