CLAREMONT, Calif. – College students found themselves in a clash with authorities following a protest that culminated at the Claremont police station. What started as a sit-in demonstration at Pomona College organized by the group Pomona Divest Apartheid escalated into a showdown between protestors and law enforcement.
The protest was triggered by the removal of an apartheid wall supporting Palestine on the college campus. The piece of installation art, consisting of eight hand-painted wooden panels adorned with phrases and images, drew hundreds of students to gather in front of Alexander Hall demanding justice.
As tensions mounted, riot gear-clad police intervened, leading to the detention of numerous demonstrators. Despite efforts to gain compliance from protestors, a significant number continued their defiant stand, resulting in a total of nineteen arrests for trespassing.
Among those arrested, one individual faced additional charges of obstructing/delaying an officer. All detainees were processed at the Claremont Police Department Jail and subsequently released with a written promise to appear in court, as specified in a news release.
Following the initial arrests, the protest transitioned to Claremont police headquarters, where it persisted for several hours without further incident. Notably, no arrests transpired during the demonstration outside the police station later in the evening.
The friction between protestors and law enforcement prompted a response from Pomona College, emphasizing the institution’s commitment to upholding free speech and peaceful protest while condemning behaviors contrary to the campus’s established demonstration policy.
Amid the tumultuous events that unfolded, the incident resonated as a testament to the ongoing dialogue surrounding activism, freedom of expression, and the boundaries that define lawful assembly in community spaces. The clash between protestors and authorities reflects a broader societal discussion on the intersection of student advocacy and institutional governance.