ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses are continuing across New York state.
Arrests are taking place beyond those at Columbia University. Despite that, the anti-Israel pro-Palestinian protests, sit-ins and encampments remain.
The movement continues on the campus of the University of Rochester with an active encampment one day after protesters spent the day occupying the main floor of an administration building.
The university states that the protesters left Wallis Hall on their own Wednesday evening following conversations between the protest leaders and university administrators and faculty. The event ended with no arrests.
It was not the same situation, however, at the University at Buffalo. Fifteen people were arrested Wednesday night at an encampment set up on the university’s north campus.
Video from social media shows a large police presence on the scene and officers taking students into custody.
UB says it believes individuals with no known affiliation with the university led the effort to set up an encampment. The university says protesters were advised to comply with an order to disperse for a violation of UB’s Picketing and Assembling Policy that prohibits encampments and overnight assemblies and failed to comply.
UB states that of the 15 people arrested, 10 are believed to be unaffiliated with the university and five are UB students.
They are facing a variety of charges, including loitering, trespassing, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
UB reports one person went to the hospital with a minor injury and two police officers were assaulted and treated on campus for minor injuries.
College officials say the decision to make arrests came after multiple discussions, communications, and warnings to protestors.
It has been much calmer at Binghamton University, where university officials report students have set up an encampment, in violation of policy.
School officials say they are in communication with the demonstrators and their priority is to maintain a safe campus and secure environment for all.
In the meantime, Gov. Kathy Hochul is weighing in on the campus turbulence from Columbia to colleges across the state, stating, “We are looking at what is happening in other college campuses throughout the state, those in the state system, those that might be in more rural areas that don't have the same resources but again, looking at a case by case you could not say every situation is the same. We are a nation of laws, but also we follow the Constitution. And that allows people to gather and peacefully protest and assemble and petition their government. I have the obligation to protect those rights as well. When it veers into destruction, violence, trespassing, or outsiders who are coming in to agitate and part of the destruction, violence, trespassing, then they must be prosecuted as well."
The president at the University of Rochester provided a late-day update on Thursday saying students inside Wallis Hall agreed to leave the building without incident Wednesday and remove their encampment by Monday ahead of final exams.
The students, who the president says were respectful during their sit-in, will not face punative measures.
They will be giving a presentation at an upcoming meeting with faculty.