On May 1, 2024, the Hanover Police Department and New Hampshire State Police forcibly arrested 90 protesters, including students and faculty members, at Dartmouth College.
On the evening of May 1, as an earlier event, a “Labor for Liberation”celebration–intended to highlight “the interconnected liberation struggles of Palestinians and workers around the world,”– concluded, a group of students set up tents on the main lawn at Dartmouth College to protest Israeli military action in Gaza. College administrators stated that they had been aware of the plans for the protest in advance and had warned the college community that their policies ban tents on the lawn. As the tents were set up, the college’s security officers passed out fliers stating that they were in violation of the rules. By around 6pm, around 300 protesters had gathered.
When the group had not dispersed by around 8pm, state police dressed in riot gear joined campus security and Hanover police on the campus. After warning the group to disperse, police declared the gathering an “unlawful assembly” and began arresting those present on charges of “criminal trespass” and “resisting arrest.” Among those arrested were two student journalists covering the protest for the student newspaper The Dartmouth, both who were wearing press identification, and two faculty members: history professor Annelise Orleck and creative writing professor Jeff Sharlet. Videos posted online show police roughly grabbing Orleck and forcing her to the ground. Others present also reported being handled roughly by police.
The bail commissioner initially banned Orleck from campus following her arrest. Dartmouth College stated that the ban was in error, and it was later reversed. The Lebanon District Court also dropped charges and bail conditions for the two student journalists. By late July 2024, 55 of those arrested had been charged with violations, which can result in fines and court fees to not jail time or a criminal record. No charges had been brought against 32 others. One individual, who was not a student or faculty member, was charged with a misdemeanor for resisting arrest.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about the forcible arrests and prosecution of students and faculty members exercising their peaceful rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly—conduct that is expressly protected by international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. State authorities have a responsibility to refrain from restricting the nonviolent exercise of such rights. In addition to the harm to the immediate victims, the use of force to restrict or deter nonviolent student expression undermines academic freedom and democratic society more generally.
Sources:
https://www.wmur.com/article/dartmouth-college-pro-palestine-camp-new-hampshire/60657838
https://www.nhpr.org/2024-05-01/pro-palestinian-protests-at-dartmouth-unh-met-with-police-response
https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2024/05/campus-encampments-live-updates-police-start-taking-students-away
https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2024/06/prosecutors-decline-to-file-charges-against-some-people-arrested-on-may-1
https://www.vnews.com/Hanover-prosecutor-files-charges-in-last-batch-of-May-1-Dartmouth-pro-Palestinian-protesters-56094201
https://vtdigger.org/2024/05/02/police-break-up-pro-palestinian-protest-at-dartmouth-college-dozens-arrested/
https://www.mynbc5.com/article/dartmouth-college-professor-protest-arrest/60736447
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsIPSamKYow
https://history.dartmouth.edu/news/2024/05/history-department-responds-may-1-2024-events-and-arrests-campus
https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2024/05/verbum-ultimum-drop-the-charges-against-charlotte-hampton-26-and-alesandra-gonzales-27