20 student protestors at Brown University staged a sit-in in University Hall: a pinnacle building at Brown home to the offices of the highest staff including the President and Provost. They announced their intent not to leave the building until University President, Christina Paxson, agrees to bring a divestment resolution to the next Brown Corporation meeting.
At 5 pm, the building closes, and, University Spokesperson Brian Clark told the Brown Daily Herald that the students were warned by administration that they could not stay. They were told they might face disciplinary action and/or “arrest for trespass after the close of business." The students remained in the building. At 5:45, the students began to be arrested.
Following the arrest of these 20 student protestors, and the dropping of those charges, 41 students in a new organization, the Brown Divest Coalition, did a similar occupation in University Hall. Similarly, they were booked for trespassing, but this time, it took place inside University Hall. President Paxson replied with the claim that ACCRIP, the proposal/outline for divestment, was unactionable and didn't sufficiently outline which investments were problematic and why those. These 41 protestors are now fundraising for their legal fees.
The school's student government released a statement in which they expressed support for all students and a commitment to protecting freedom of speech while focusing on empathy for peers.
