Updated at 6:20 p.m. with information that campus police are still investigating.
As of Monday afternoon, the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office has not received information about more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested on Washington University’s campus Saturday night.
A spokesman for Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell declined to say whether charges will be filed because of the lack of information.
“As you will understand, we can't comment on charges we have not filed so we have no comment at this time,” spokesman Christopher King said.
A spokeswoman for the university said Monday that campus police are still investigating, and she expects all of the cases to be referred to Bell’s office for trespassing charges. Chancellor Andrew Martin said some of those arrested could face resisting arrest and assault charges as well.
Among the detained protesters, 23 students and four staff members were arrested by police.
“We’ve all watched as protests have spiraled out of control on other campuses across the country in recent months," Martin said in a statement Monday. “We are not letting this happen here.”
Students arrested currently face a temporary suspension and are barred from entering campus. Staff members arrested are also barred.
About 500 people gathered on campus Saturday to call for the private university to cut ties with Boeing because the company has military contracts with Israel. The protesters also called for the end of the ongoing attacks in Gaza. In recent months, thousands have died in Israeli bombardments following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.
Martin, the chancellor since 2019, said the university has supported student demonstrations this semester. However, those all followed university policy and were peaceful. Saturday’s protest was not, he said.
“Some of the protesters were behaving aggressively, swinging flagpoles and sticks,” Martin said. “Some were attempting to break into locked buildings or to deface property. There were chants that many in our community find threatening and antisemitic.”
A letter signed on Monday by about 150 faculty, students, alumni and other supporters of the protesters lambasts university leadership’s decision to remove protesters and their justification.
“We condemn the university’s arbitrary and excessive actions and demand faculty and students to be returned to their offices, classrooms, and dormitories,” the letter reads.
It disputes the university’s characterization of the protests — asking what the university's evidence is that the protesters were not peaceful, intended to disrupt campus activity over the weekend and planned to damage property.
“The only danger and the only violence that occurred on Saturday was at the hands of police officers and the administrators that authorized their activity,” the letter continues.
Martin said he never wanted to take this action against members of the community. But Wash U leadership gave the protesters ample time to leave, and they did not.
“To those who plan to continue to come to campus with the intention of disrupting our education and research mission and violating our policies, please know we will respond proportionately each and every time,” Martin said. “You will not do this here.”
