Protesters demand UW reverse suspensions of students who occupied engineering building

About 100 people rallied at University of Washington's Seattle campus on Thursday to demand the university reverse suspensions against 21 students.

The students suspended were among 34 protesters banned from campus after they occupied UW's new engineering building on Monday, blocking exits and smashing lab equipment in an incident that caught the attention of the Trump administration.

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Rally-goers on Thursday defended the students' actions and spoke in support of Hamas, saying the demonstrators were justified by the rising death toll in Gaza and Boeing's supplying munitions and missiles to Israel.

"Boeing pumps millions of dollars into this university, money made from the genocide of Palestinians. In return, what do they get?" said Bissan Barghouti, an organizer and speaker at the rally. "A pipeline that sends students straight into Boeing after graduation."

None of the suspended and banned students were apparently present Thursday, but speakers read a number of anonymous statements from them.

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No charges have been filed yet. Police are still investigating the identities of protesters who gave them "John/Jane Doe" names, in addition to the dollar amount of damages to determine whether to charge arrestees with felonies or misdemeanors, a King County prosecutor told KUOW.

Speakers also said police beat and "brutalized" protesters on Monday, blocking their airways. Organizers alleged online that three protesters went to the hospital, but UW said they were only aware of one person who was screened and cleared by a medic on-scene.

UW president Ana Marie Cauce has condemned the protesters for the property damage and statements she called antisemitic.

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The federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism applauded UW's "quick" action arresting and condemning protesters, but wrote in a press release Tuesday that the university "must do more to deter future violence and guarantee that Jewish students have a safe and productive learning environment."

UW promised to cooperate with a federal review and said it values its "longstanding partnership" with the federal government.

The arrests and condemnation represent the toughest moves UW has taken against protesters recently, after the administration negotiated with the groups occupying the Liberal Arts Quadrangle last year.

Many high-profile Democrats, such as Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown, have said the protesters should be "held accountable."

Others worry Trump will use property destruction and the protesters' stated support of Hamas to justify moves against higher education and arresting other pro-Palestinian protesters. Congresswoman Emily Randall of Bremerton told KUOW’s Sound Politics podcast on Thursday that she supports free speech and peaceful protest.

"But when it comes to a million dollars of damages, lighting fires – that’s not a peaceful protest," Randall said. "This administration is looking for any opportunity to deny people their right to free speech, to go after educational institutions, and to silence the electorate."

Barghouti responded that Trump doesn’t need an excuse to shut down free speech.