Eleven people were arrested Monday after protesters barricaded Morrill Hall at the University of Minnesota, prompting an emergency alert from university officials. The alert, issued Monday afternoon, described the protesters as “causing property damage and restricting entrance and exit from the building.” It advised those inside to evacuate if possible.
Located on Northrop Mall on the East Bank campus, Morrill Hall houses the administrative headquarters. The protest was organized by UMN Students for a Democratic Society, a group urging the university to divest from companies supporting Israel. In August, the university’s Board of Regents declined to make such divestments following several pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Protesters brought tents and supplies, signaling their intention to remain until their demands were addressed. Video shared online showed chairs stacked in front of an exterior door in a makeshift barricade. “We plan to stay until they forcibly remove us,” said Merlin Van Alstein, an organizer with the group, before the arrests. “The people inside aren’t going to leave until they meet our demands or they are forced to leave.”
The group renamed Morrill Hall as “Halimy Hall” in memory of Medo Halimy, a 19-year-old Palestinian TikTok creator who died in August in an Israeli airstrike. The Israeli military said it was unaware of the strike.
According to a university spokesperson, the protesters entered Morrill Hall shortly before 4 p.m. They spray-painted surfaces, broke windows, and covered security camera lenses, preventing staff from exiting the building. The University of Minnesota Police Department, with assistance from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the scene and arrested 11 individuals around 5:40 p.m. No injuries were reported, and the extent of the damage is under investigation.
In response to the incident, Minnesota Hillel Executive Director Emily Boskof emphasized the importance of Jewish student safety, saying, “We appreciate the administration and law enforcement holding students accountable for any violations of the code of conduct.” The investigation is ongoing.
