Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested and suspended after barricading themselves in Stanford University president's office

More than a dozen pro-Palestinian protesters at Stanford University have been arrested — and some immediately suspended from school — Wednesday, after briefly taking over as president, authorities said.

In the latest provocative action on campus calling for divestment from Israel following the country's war with Hamas, students and alumni entered President Richard Saller's office around 5:30 a.m., according to the spokesperson for the group.

They swore to “remain inside the building and refuse to leave until their demands are met,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

But within three hours, the building appeared to be under university control again. after campus police and Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies took action, officials said.

“We are dismayed and deeply saddened by the actions that occurred on our campus earlier today,” according to a joint statement from University President and Dean Jenny Martinez.

A campus police officer was injured by protesters during the clearance, and damage was “caused to the interior of the building” as well as “numerous graffiti vandalized on the brownstone buildings and columns of the Main Quad,” it said. Stanford administrators.

“This graffiti conveys vile and hateful sentiments that we condemn in the strongest possible terms,” officials continued. “Whether the graffiti was created by members of the Stanford community or by outsiders, we hope that the vast majority of our community will join us in rejecting this assault on our campus.”

The school immediately took action against the students involved.

Thirteen people were arrested inside the building and all “students will be immediately suspended” and seniors in the group “will not be allowed to graduate,” officials said.

It was not immediately clear whether “will not be allowed to graduate” meant that students would be excluded from graduation ceremonies or would be kicked out of the school altogether without being eligible to graduate.

Wednesday is the last day of classes for the spring term, with graduation ceremonies scheduled for June 15-16.

“We have always emphasized the need for constructive engagement and peaceful protest when disagreements arise,” Stanford spokesperson Dee Mostofi said. “This was not a peaceful protest and actions such as those this morning have no place at Stanford.”

Protesters are demanding that the school divest itself of any financial interest in companies “that provide material and logistical support to Israel's current military campaign,” according to the group.

Students across the country have held protests on their campuses this spring, demanding that their schools withdraw any investment they say helps Israeli forces in their military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces have been attacking the Palestinian enclave since Hamas invaded Israel on October 7.

The most significant action against Israel on American campuses was led by Columbia University students who took over a key building, Hamilton Hall.

The protests led campus leaders to call in New York City police officers to take over the building and evacuate an encampment of protesters. On-campus graduation ceremonies had to be moved to a football stadium 100 blocks from campus.