Over 80 arrested at Virginia Tech during Israel-Hamas war protests; Youngkin supports university
BLACKSBURG, Va. - At least 82 protesters demonstrating over the Israel-Hamas war were arrested at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg over the weekend after the university said they were trespassing and violating safety regulations.
In a statement, President Tim Sands said the protesters had been occupying the Graduate Life Center lawn for three days. He said they refused to comply with the university’s policy and public safety regulations. All face trespassing charges. 53 of those arrested are current Virginia Tech students.
"While I am grateful the incident was resolved peacefully by Virginia Tech Police, I was saddened by the way our officers were treated. I am also deeply disappointed to see members of our community choose uncivil and unlawful behavior over purposeful engagement in difficult conversations and robust debate that should be part of the Virginia Tech experience," Sands said.
READ MORE: GWU protest organizers vow to stay on campus until demands are met
"Virginia Tech strongly supports free speech, even when the content of that speech may be disagreeable to some. However, those rights do not extend beyond the point where they interfere with the rights of others, violate our policies, the Code of Virginia, or federal laws and/or create a threat to safety for others," he continued.
The incident at Virginia Tech comes amid hundreds of arrests during recent protests at colleges and universities across the country, including at George Washington University in D.C., in protest over the Israel-Hamas war.
"Across the Commonwealth we’ve seen student and significant non-student participants, throw projectiles at law enforcement, violate the policies of our colleges and universities, obstruct and disrupt student life and endanger public safety," Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin posted to X, formerly Twitter. "After repeated warnings and refusal to disperse, law enforcement must protect Virginians. My administration will continue to fully support campus, local and state law enforcement and university leadership to keep our campuses safe."
The conflict was sparked Oct. 7 by a raid into southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages. The war has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.
Across the Commonwealth we’ve seen student and significant non-student participants, throw projectiles at law enforcement, violate the policies of our colleges and universities, obstruct and disrupt student life and endanger public safety.
— Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) April 30, 2024
The Associated Press contributed to this report
