University of Minnesota Statement - Oct. 21, 2024
Protesters assembled on the lawn in front of Coffman Memorial Union starting around 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. Shortly before 4 p.m., a group of these individuals quickly moved north, up the Northrop Mall, and entered Morrill Hall.
Once inside the building, protesters began spray painting, including covering lenses of all internal security cameras, breaking interior windows, and barricading the building’s entrance and exit points. The full extent of the damage is unknown. A number of staff were working in the building at the time, and several people were not able to exit, with some being unable to exit the building for an extended period of time.
To ensure the safety of U of M employees in the building who were unable to exit, and in light of property damage sustained to the building, University of Minnesota Police Department was called to the scene to address the situation. With necessary support from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, UMPD entered the building at approximately 5:40 p.m. and arrested 11 people. No additional information is available at this time about the individuals arrested or the extent of damage to property.
An investigation is ongoing.
- Categories:
- Campus Affairs
