Police clash with pro-Palestine protesters on Ohio State University campus

WSYX ABC 6
26 Apr 202488:51

Summary

TLDRA tense situation unfolded on the Ohio State University campus as a group of protesters, including students and community members, gathered to voice their concerns over the university's alleged business ties with companies supporting the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Initially peaceful, the protest escalated when law enforcement, including the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Columbus Police, moved in to disperse the crowd around 10 PM. The authorities, following multiple warnings, arrested individuals for criminal trespassing. The dispersal led to a standoff, with some protesters and a local social justice leader urging the crowd to go home to avoid further conflict. The situation remained dynamic, with law enforcement maintaining a heavy presence to ensure the area was cleared and to prevent any potential property damage or violence.

Takeaways

  • 📍 A large group of protesters had gathered on the Ohio State University (OSU) campus, where they set up tents and were engaging in peaceful activities, including prayer sessions.
  • 🕰 Law enforcement, including the Ohio State Highway Patrol, moved in at 10:00 PM to disperse the crowd after the protesters had been given multiple warnings to leave the area.
  • 🚚 The situation escalated as police began arresting individuals for criminal trespassing, with some reports indicating around a dozen arrests made.
  • 🙏 Protesters claimed they were engaging in peaceful protest and prayer, expressing their solidarity with Gaza and calling for the university to divest from companies supporting Israel's war efforts.
  • 🗣 There were reports of police aggression, with some protesters alleging that law enforcement used excessive force, including against individuals who were praying.
  • 👮‍♂ Retired Sheriff Russ Martin provided perspective on law enforcement's actions, noting the coordinated and professional response, and the importance of balancing First Amendment rights with public safety.
  • 📉 As the situation developed, some protesters began to disperse, with local social justice leader Ramone Obey urging the crowd to go home for safety reasons.
  • 🏛 OSU administration stated that established university rules prohibit camping and overnight events, and that protesters had been given ample time to exercise their First Amendment rights before being asked to disperse.
  • 🌐 The protest was part of a broader series of demonstrations happening across the United States, with students and community members expressing concerns about various social and political issues.
  • 📛 It was noted that not all individuals present were affiliated with OSU, and there was a mix of students and community members participating in the protest.
  • 🚚 Law enforcement's primary goal appeared to be ensuring that the crowd dispersed peacefully and that there was no further trespassing on university property.

Q & A

  • What was the initial reason for the gathering at the Ohio State University campus?

    -The initial reason for the gathering was for people to protest and demand that the university divest from companies they believe are supporting Israel's war.

  • At what time did law enforcement start to disperse the crowd?

    -Law enforcement started to disperse the crowd at exactly 10:00 PM.

  • What was the reported behavior of the police towards the protesters?

    -The police were reported to have been aggressive, moving in on the group, making arrests, and physically addressing the group, which included the removal of tents and people being put in handcuffs.

  • What was the response from the protesters when law enforcement started to disperse the crowd?

    -The protesters were initially unyielding, with some resisting the police's attempts to disperse them. However, later on, some protesters, including a local social justice leader named Ramone, encouraged the crowd to go home for safety reasons.

  • Were there any reports of the use of force such as taser weapons by the police?

    -There were claims of people being tased, but the university has stated that there are no reports of such incidents occurring.

  • What was the role of Ramone in the situation?

    -Ramon Obe, a local social justice leader, played a significant role in encouraging protesters to disperse and go home to avoid further conflict and ensure safety.

  • What was the university's stance on the protest and the law enforcement's actions?

    -The university stated that well-established rules prohibit camping and overnight events, and after demonstrators were given multiple warnings to disperse, those who refused were arrested and charged with criminal trespass.

  • How did the situation evolve over time?

    -The situation evolved from a peaceful protest to a more tense scenario with law enforcement moving in to disperse the crowd, making arrests, and eventually breaking up the encampment of tents.

  • What was the final outcome for the protesters?

    -The final outcome was that the protesters were largely dispersed, with some choosing to leave following the advice of protest leaders like Ramone, while others were arrested by law enforcement.

  • Were there any reports of injuries or more serious use of force beyond the arrests?

    -The script does not provide clear information on injuries or more serious use of force beyond the arrests and the removal of protesters from the tents.

  • What was the reaction of the community and the university to the protest?

    -The reaction was mixed, with some expressing support for the protesters' cause and others, including the university administration, taking a stance against the violation of campus rules and the need for law enforcement intervention.

Outlines

00:00

🚚 Police Approach Protest Group for the First Time

In the opening scene, the speaker describes a tense situation where a group of people has set up tents in the middle of a circle, surrounded by others. Police, who had previously warned the group from a distance, are now moving closer for the first time. The speaker mentions an attempt to cross the street safely as police sirens are heard in the background. The police are seen moving the group away, with some resistance from the protesters. There is an apology for any profanity heard during the live segment, and the speaker notes that this is the first time the police have approached the group physically.

05:01

📍 Police Attempt to Disperse the Crowd

The second paragraph details the police's efforts to disperse the crowd. Law enforcement from various agencies, including the CPD highway patrol and state troopers, are present. The speaker walks around the circle, providing a view of the events. There is a mention of the group's attempt to hold a prayer session amidst the chaos. Police are seen pushing people, with some being handcuffed and arrested. The speaker emphasizes the escalating nature of the event, which is unfolding live, and the difficulty in discerning the police's exact demands from the noise.

10:03

🀝 Police and Protesters Engage in Dialogue

In this segment, the speaker notes that police are not being aggressive and are instead having conversations with people in the crowd. There have been a few arrests, and the speaker attempts to move around the circle for a better view. The police are seen trying to move the crowd, with the speaker and their team trying to maintain a safe distance. The speaker interviews an Ohio State instructor who expresses concern over the police's actions and the university administration's response to the protest, which they describe as a show of force.

15:04

🕍 Protesters Call for University Divestment

The focus of the protest becomes clear in this paragraph, with the protesters demanding that the university divest from companies they believe are supporting Israel's war efforts. The speaker discusses the goals of the protest and the emotions of the participants. There is mention of an earlier arrest during the day and a continued police presence. The speaker also discusses the challenges of reporting live from the scene amidst the noise and confusion.

20:05

🏫 OSU Campus Tensions Rise as Protest Continues

The tension on the OSU campus continues to rise as the protest persists. The speaker describes the scene with law enforcement agencies moving in to disperse the group that has been gathered all day. There is mention of multiple arrests, and the speaker attempts to get closer to the action while maintaining safety. The university's rules against camping and overnight events are cited, and the speaker discusses the protesters' desire to be heard and the university's response to their demands.

25:07

📢 Live Coverage of a Tense Protest Situation

The speaker provides live coverage of the tense situation at OSU, where a large group of demonstrators has been present throughout the day. Law enforcement agencies, including various state patrols, have moved in to get the group to disperse. The speaker recounts the events since 10:00 PM, noting the multiple arrests and the attempts by law enforcement to manage the crowd. The goal of the protesters to have their voices heard is emphasized, and the speaker discusses the challenges of reporting in such a dynamic environment.

30:07

🚔 Law Enforcement's Response to the Protest

The speaker discusses the law enforcement perspective on the situation, with a retired sheriff providing insight. The coordinated effort of the agencies is highlighted, and the importance of balancing First Amendment rights with the need for crowd control is emphasized. The sheriff notes the professionalism and control shown by the law enforcement officers. The speaker also mentions the challenges of communicating in the midst of the chaos and the need for a clear path for people to leave the area.

35:08

🌐 Global Attention on OSU Protest and Police Response

The speaker discusses the global attention the protest and the subsequent police response at OSU have garnered. The protesters' message regarding divestment from companies supporting the Israeli cause is reiterated. The speaker also talks about the reactions of the protesters to the police's actions, with some accusing the police of using excessive force and violating their rights to peaceful protest and assembly. The ongoing attempts by law enforcement to disperse the crowd are described, with the speaker noting the challenges of navigating the situation as a reporter.

40:09

📢 Protesters and Police in a Standoff at OSU

The situation at OSU is described as a standoff, with protesters demanding the university divest from certain companies and law enforcement attempting to disperse the crowd. The speaker details the police's efforts to clear the area around the Ohio Union, with some protesters being arrested for criminal trespassing. The speaker also discusses the university's statement on the matter and the ongoing tensions as the crowd begins to disperse under the guidance of protest organizers.

45:10

🏃 Dispersal of the Crowd and Continued Police Presence

The crowd begins to disperse following the advice of protest organizers, with law enforcement continuing to maintain a presence to ensure the area is cleared. The speaker notes the difficulty in determining which law enforcement agencies are involved, but identifies the Ohio State Highway Patrol as being present. The university's rules regarding camping and overnight events are reiterated, and the speaker discusses the protesters' claims of police aggression and the desire for their voices to be heard.

50:11

🀝 Attempts to De-Escalate the Situation

The speaker discusses the attempts to de-escalate the situation, with local social justice leader Ramone Obe urging protesters to go home for their safety. The focus shifts to ensuring that people leave safely, with law enforcement continuing to monitor the situation. The speaker also talks about the training law enforcement officers receive in de-escalation techniques and the efforts to balance free speech with maintaining public safety.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Protest

A protest is a public demonstration where people express their objection or disapproval towards an idea, policy, or action. In the video, protesters gather on the Ohio State University campus to voice their concerns about the university's alleged business ties with companies supporting Israel's war. The protest is a central theme, with participants aiming to make their voices heard on an international issue.

💡Law Enforcement

Law enforcement refers to the agencies and the process of enforcing the law. In the context of the video, law enforcement agencies, including the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Columbus Police, are involved in dispersing the crowd of protesters at Ohio State University. Their actions, including arrests and the use of force, are a significant part of the narrative.

💡Arrest

An arrest is the act of taking someone into custody by the authorities. In the video, arrests are made as law enforcement attempts to disperse the protesters who are charged with criminal trespassing. The arrests are a pivotal moment, escalating the tension between the protesters and law enforcement.

💡Criminal Trespassing

Criminal trespassing is the act of entering or remaining in a property without permission, which is a violation of the law. In the script, individuals who refused to leave the university premises after multiple warnings were arrested and charged with criminal trespassing, which is the legal basis for their removal from the property.

💡Divest

To divest means to sell or dispose of a large amount of stock or other assets. In the video, protesters are calling for the university to divest from companies they believe are connected to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The demand to divest is a key objective of the protest, reflecting the protesters' desire for the university to take a moral stance against the conflict.

💡First Amendment Rights

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the rights to freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances. In the video, the protesters are exercising their First Amendment rights to assemble and voice their opinions on a political matter. The script mentions these rights in the context of the university's response to the protest.

💡University Administration

The university administration refers to the management and leadership of a university. In the video, the administration is criticized by protesters and an instructor for what they perceive as a heavy-handed response to the peaceful protest. The administration's actions and policies are central to the conflict depicted in the video.

💡Peaceful Assembly

Peaceful assembly is the right of people to gather together without the use of violence. In the video, protesters claim they are practicing their right to peaceful assembly when they gather on campus. The term is used to emphasize the non-violent nature of the protest before law enforcement intervenes.

💡Dispersion

Dispersion refers to the act of scattering or spreading out over an area. In the context of the video, law enforcement works to disperse the crowd of protesters by moving them away from the university premises. The dispersion is a critical event in the video, illustrating the resolution of the standoff between protesters and authorities.

💡Solidarity

Solidarity is the state of being united in a common purpose or belief. In the video, protesters show solidarity with Palestinians by gathering to support their cause. The concept of solidarity is important as it underscores the shared motivation and collective identity among the protesters.

💡Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech is the right to express one's opinions without censorship or restraint. It is a fundamental right protected by the First Amendment. In the video, protesters assert their freedom of speech as they voice their opposition to the university's alleged business ties with certain companies. The right to free speech is a recurring theme as it justifies the protest and the public expression of grievances.

Highlights

Throughout the night, people have been bringing in water, food, and tents to support a group that has set up tents in the middle of a circle on the OSU campus.

The police have moved from their initial position and are now closer to the group, with sirens heard in the background.

Law enforcement has given motions for the crowd to leave, warning of potential arrest if they do not comply.

This is the first time in the last 78 hours that police have approached the group, attempting to move them in a different direction.

Police are seen physically addressing the group for the first time, with officers trying to engage in conversation with group members.

The group has grown significantly since earlier observations, with police asking media and bystanders to move back for safety.

There are reports of three arrests earlier in the day during an active protest in the same area.

A prayer session is taking place in the middle of the circle, with people holding hands around them in solidarity.

Law enforcement is attempting to arrest individuals, with two people reported to be in handcuffs and one woman being dragged away.

An instructor at Ohio State expresses concern over the police escalation and the arrest of students during what they describe as a peaceful protest.

The police are seen removing tents and arresting individuals who were praying inside, escalating the situation with forceful actions.

There is a coordinated effort among multiple law enforcement agencies to disperse the crowd and enforce campus rules regarding camping and overnight events.

A statement from Ohio State University emphasizes that established University rules prohibit camping and overnight events, leading to the instruction for demonstrators to disperse.

Despite the law enforcement's efforts to disperse the crowd, protesters and community members remain engaged in the area, with some calling for divestment from companies supporting Israel's war.

The situation on the OSU campus is part of a larger wave of protests happening at college campuses across the country in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

A local social justice leader and other organizers are urging protesters to go home to ensure safety and avoid further escalation with law enforcement.

Law enforcement is focused on ensuring a peaceful dispersal of the crowd while respecting First Amendment rights, with an emphasis on avoiding violence and vandalism.

Transcripts

00:00

now throughout the night I have seen

00:02

people bringing in water food tents so

00:06

that Circle that we just showed you

00:08

there is a group of people surrounding

00:10

folks who are actually in the middle the

00:13

folks who are in the middle have set up

00:15

tents and that's what that's where

00:17

they're sitting so as this progresses

00:19

you're going to have to bear with us

00:21

here as we watch this all unfold so

00:24

we're going to try to cross the street

00:25

safely if you want to stay with us it

00:28

looks like police have now moved from

00:31

where they were further down the street

00:32

they're now it looks like they and you

00:34

hear sirens rolling there have been a

00:36

few instances in the last 5 10 15

00:39

minutes where police have given these

00:42

folks a few motions to leave so they're

00:46

telling them to leave or they are and

00:48

will be subject to arrest we're going to

00:51

give you a listen to this real quick

00:53

take a listen here your final war the

00:55

area immediately you are to go to

00:58

College Avenue you can see officers now

01:00

moving in so this this is happening now

01:03

for the first time in the last 78 hours

01:06

you see officers approaching the group

01:09

this is the first time police have

01:10

approached the group we're going to stay

01:13

with you live as this is happening

01:15

officers it looks like they're trying to

01:16

move the group in a different direction

01:18

of course we want to get out of the way

01:20

so we are safe they're moving closer

01:22

towards the group we're going to move

01:25

with them as they get towards the group

01:28

leave if you want to take a listen we're

01:30

going to let this run for just a second

01:31

take a

01:34

[Music]

01:36

[Applause]

01:41

listen again like I said this group has

01:44

gotten significantly bigger since we saw

01:47

it earlier police are asking us to move

01:49

back so that's what we're going to do

01:52

we're going to stay back so they can

01:53

have a second to address the

01:55

group there are lights there are Sirens

01:59

again

02:00

this is not this has not happened

02:03

throughout the course of the day this is

02:04

the first time we are seeing police

02:06

physically address the group up until

02:09

this point we've only heard them address

02:10

the group from afar asking them to leave

02:14

and this is how they've stayed

02:15

throughout the evening so again I'm

02:17

going to give you another listen as to

02:18

what's happening

02:28

[Applause]

02:32

I do want to apologize for any

02:34

profanities that you may hear over the

02:36

course of this live segment again I want

02:39

to apologize for any profanity that you

02:41

may hear over the course of this live

02:43

segment we are now standing in front of

02:46

police our cameras are right in front of

02:48

police you can hear people

02:50

screaming we're going to let that run

02:52

for just a second

03:00

again I want to apologize for any

03:01

profanities that you will hear over the

03:03

course of this live

03:06

segment so it seems as if police are

03:09

looking for a way to move the crowd

03:12

again we are in front of police they

03:14

have asked us to move and that's what we

03:16

have done so now we're just kind of

03:18

watching as this unfolds I'm not too

03:20

sure from my angle what they are going

03:23

to ask the crowd to do at this point it

03:27

looks like they're just surrounding them

03:29

looks like officers are trying to talk

03:31

to the talk to the group I see an

03:32

officer a trooper um talking to one of

03:35

the group members it looks like they're

03:36

having a nice conversation as to what

03:39

will happen next again we're going to

03:41

let this roll for just a second so you

03:42

can hear and see what I'm seeing

04:00

[Music]

04:02

again I want to make a note that this is

04:03

the first time police have physically

04:06

walked up to the group and addressed

04:08

them in this manner there have been

04:09

multiple times throughout the day or the

04:12

course of the evening excuse me uh

04:14

police have asked the folks who are

04:16

gathered right in the middle of the

04:18

grass here to leave now again we have

04:21

had crws here throughout the day earlier

04:24

this afternoon I believe it was three

04:25

people who were arrested during an

04:28

active protest right here in this area

04:30

of Campus that you're looking

04:32

at we're going to take another walk

04:34

around the

04:36

circle maybe we can get closer inside so

04:39

you can see what we're seeing as I had

04:42

mentioned let let them let

04:46

them let them let them PR let them let

04:51

them let them

04:55

PR we're trying to zoom in here so you

04:57

can see the group in the middle looks

04:59

like they are trying to have a prayer

05:00

session and the folks in front are

05:03

holding hands giving them a second to do

05:06

that let

05:09

them we're going to continue to move

05:11

around the circle so you can see what's

05:20

happening

05:27

CP and as for law enforcement we've seen

05:30

CPD highway patrol is

05:32

[Music]

05:34

here state troopers state highway patrol

05:36

is

05:37

[Applause]

05:40

here we're going to take another walk

05:42

around here so we have now done a full

05:45

lap around the circle and as I have just

05:48

learned in the last few seconds that the

05:50

folks in the middle are trying to have a

05:52

prayer session it looks like police are

05:55

trying to either move them get in the

05:57

middle of the group my photographer is a

06:00

little taller than me so you'll have to

06:02

bear with me as I try to narrate this

06:03

for you as it's

06:04

[Music]

06:06

happening there's a lot of screaming a

06:08

lot of shouting it's really difficult to

06:10

figure out what people are saying so I'm

06:11

going to give you a second to digest and

06:13

listen for yourself

06:36

if you can hear that right now IM

06:39

proceed

06:40

Toge e High Street they're pushing

06:52

people it looks like police do have

06:54

somebody on the ground it looks like

06:56

someone is now being put in handcuffs we

06:59

have have two people two people now

07:01

we're getting that live we have one

07:03

woman being dragged Away by officers

07:06

right now there is also someone on the

07:08

ground who is in

07:10

handcuffs this seems to be the first two

07:13

arrests of the night they are dragging

07:15

that woman down absolutely sorry officer

07:17

thank you we've been asked to back away

07:21

and that's what we're doing at the

07:23

[Music]

07:28

moment again hear a lot of shouting and

07:30

some profanities I want to again

07:32

apologize to viewers if you hear any

07:34

profanity on this live

07:37

stream you can

07:39

see this person on the ground officers

07:42

trying to get this person up this looks

07:45

and seems to be the second arrest of

07:47

this evening not to mention the folks I

07:49

had talked about earlier there were

07:51

three people who were arrested earlier

07:53

in throughout the day and it's not clear

07:55

whether they are students here or not

07:58

[Music]

08:01

we're still going to roll on this and

08:03

try to get as close to the crowd as

08:05

possible but again we're trying to make

08:06

sure that we also follow the law and

08:08

listen to officers as they ask us to

08:10

move

08:14

[Music]

08:15

back

08:22

[Music]

08:25

the you can see as officers are trying

08:27

to push the crowd I'm not I can't get

08:30

close enough to tell you exactly what is

08:31

happening it's just increasingly getting

08:34

louder as more officers show up and more

08:36

people surround the

08:39

group officer is giving this warning

08:43

again

08:44

immed to College Avenue to East 12

08:48

Avenue East on East 12 the High

08:52

Street again you heard that warning

08:54

we're watching as officers I see another

08:56

person being arrested so that is three

08:58

by my count as of this evening 10:00 at

09:02

night almost 10 minutes into our show

09:05

and this is we've watched again I have

09:06

to tell you this is not how it was

09:09

throughout the day just as our show

09:11

started at 10:00 tonight is when all of

09:13

this is

09:19

unfolding we're trying to zoom in here

09:21

we you can see officers you can see

09:23

people so it's just a mix of folks not

09:26

trying to we can't tell where they're to

09:29

push them you did hear them ask folks to

09:32

go to Cleveland

09:37

[Music]

09:43

[Music]

09:45

AB you can hear the chanting we're going

09:47

to let you hear that for a

09:53

[Music]

09:57

second in the middle of this Circle

09:59

there are people inside tents in their

10:03

encampment this is how it's been

10:04

throughout the day and you have folks

10:06

surrounding the circle holding on to

10:09

each other trying it seems like they're

10:12

trying to keep police from getting

10:13

inside again police have

10:16

not seem to be aggressive with anybody I

10:19

see them having conversations with folks

10:21

In This Crowd to be clear I've seen a

10:23

few arrests thus far

10:30

[Music]

10:38

[Music]

10:40

we're going to zoom in slowly in here

10:42

again we're going to try to make our way

10:43

around the circle but there's not much

10:45

that we can see at this point from this

10:48

Angle now we do have another camera here

10:51

as well um we're trying to get more

10:53

angles from each side of the

10:56

circle as more police show up it seems

10:59

like they are spread out across this

11:02

group at this

11:05

point again I want to give you a second

11:07

to listen to what is happening

11:12

here

11:18

a you that's okay I have to have space

11:23

to you can hear that warning

11:27

again I want to corre myself I said

11:29

Cleveland Avenue but I meant to say

11:31

College Avenue I apologize they are

11:33

asking people to go towards College

11:35

Avenue it looks like officers are trying

11:38

to forcefully move the

11:40

crowd we're trying to get as close as

11:42

possible without um getting hurt

11:48

[Applause]

11:48

[Music]

11:57

ourselves again I'm trying to let this

11:59

roll out for you so you can watch it as

12:00

we are seeing it ourselves again this is

12:03

South oval at C on

12:06

campus sorry I just got shoved trying to

12:10

give myself a safer space so I can talk

12:11

to you clearly

12:13

[Music]

12:19

[Applause]

12:22

[Music]

12:39

you can see as more officers Pile in it

12:41

looks like again they're trying to move

12:43

the crowd in a different

12:46

[Music]

12:50

direction we're going to try to move

12:52

around here and see if we can get people

13:08

you a highight say here you highight

13:12

Patrol n out of here

13:20

[Music]

13:27

High trying to give you a second to

13:29

listen

13:36

in we're now covering this live protest

13:39

demonstration as police have moved in on

13:42

the OSU campus South oval tonight we

13:44

have photographer Mike Jones and

13:46

reporter Stephanie Dee on the scene Mike

13:48

is giving you these images now as police

13:51

talk to the demonstrators at least those

13:52

on the Outer Perimeter Mike if you can

13:54

hear us uh maybe Stephanie can talk with

13:57

some folks there and find out what they

13:59

conc is tonight and what the police and

14:01

law enforcers are telling

14:04

[Music]

14:08

them not leave your to

14:15

arrest we're going to try to take

14:17

another walk around the circle to see if

14:20

there's

14:21

anybody that has walked further away

14:24

that has

14:27

[Music]

14:35

hey guys can you tell me how you're

14:37

feeling in this moment I work with um

14:38

I'm an instructor here at Ohio State and

14:40

I'm really disturbed by the just

14:43

violence the police escalation um I've

14:45

had students arrested there have been

14:47

other Stu Ohio State alums that have

14:49

been arrested um at other

14:52

campuses this is just an incredible show

14:55

of force from the University and this is

14:58

direct from the administration sicking

15:01

CPD on their students and I don't

15:03

understand it because this has been

15:04

nothing but peaceful I've been here all

15:06

day and how long have you been

15:07

affiliated with the school I've been

15:09

here since 2012 so I've been coming to

15:11

these kinds of protests for 12 years and

15:13

I've never seen this sort of police

15:15

escalation before um it's very extreme

15:18

and it seems like that you know they've

15:19

left you alone throughout the day and

15:21

this is the first time that we've really

15:22

seen them come towards the group so have

15:24

they tried

15:25

to and can you tell us what's happening

15:28

in the middle of the circle praying ASA

15:30

which is the last prayer of the day and

15:31

they decided to come and Ambush and try

15:33

and get in the middle of the group while

15:35

they're praying our pray while they're

15:37

praying a prayer did did arrest three

15:40

people earlier today there were some

15:41

students that were arrested for sitting

15:43

on this lawn this is our Green Space

15:45

where students on nice days camp out and

15:48

it's ridiculous that we can't have a

15:51

similar sort of uh affair with a message

15:54

uh if that message is is an affront to

15:55

the university in some way and it seems

15:57

like they're trying to push the crowd

15:59

into a different direction have they

16:01

have they told you why they're trying to

16:02

you know push you in a different

16:03

direction or where they're trying to

16:04

push you they say that students are

16:06

criminally trespassing at their own

16:07

University and I don't understand how uh

16:10

that's possible when uh the majority of

16:12

the people here are enrolled at this

16:13

school as

16:20

students and how does it oh my

16:23

gosh all right all

16:25

right it's all right someone was just

16:29

pulled to the ground it looks like

16:30

police are making another

16:33

arrest they have arrested a handful of

16:36

people at this time you just heard from

16:40

an instructor who said she's been here

16:41

for many years and did not anticipate

16:45

this outcome tonight the folks who are

16:48

police are not pulling the tent they're

16:50

going to try to pull people out of the

16:54

tent you can see police tearing it apart

16:57

it looks like they're trying to get

16:58

folks who were inside the tent out of

17:00

the tent and as you just heard they were

17:02

in the middle praying is what we were

17:04

just

17:05

told and in those moments you saw

17:08

police rip a few people to the ground

17:10

and they are under arrest I see them

17:13

being put in handcuffs at this

17:19

moment we're going to get in closer here

17:21

as close as we can so we are number one

17:24

safe number two do not get pushed to the

17:27

ground ourselves

17:31

stephaniee live there on the campus of

17:34

Ohio State as protests continue at this

17:39

hour Stephanie if you can hear us we

17:42

know that there have been instructions

17:44

given throughout the day you're watching

17:46

this unfold just as we are Stephanie

17:49

what have the police shared with this

17:52

group about the deadline they are giving

17:55

them at this point because sorry

17:57

communication is going to be difficult

17:58

is very loud over here there's a lot

18:00

going on I'm trying to watch my body

18:02

other people around me listening to

18:04

officers instructions um police are

18:08

asking people to move towards College

18:11

Avenue so they're trying to again I'm

18:13

trying to figure out where they're

18:15

trying to move the crowd specifically I

18:17

did try to ask someone who said she had

18:18

a conversation with one of the officers

18:21

and they don't really know what's

18:22

happening I think from what I'm seeing

18:25

this is escalating to a point where

18:27

people are just being ared now people

18:29

are being put in cuffs I'm not sure

18:31

where they're trying to push the crowd I

18:33

think they're trying to disperse people

18:35

but again they have asked people to

18:37

leave and go to go towards College

18:39

Avenue seeing more people being pulled

18:43

almost yanked out of the crowd they are

18:45

also being um arrested again I'll have

18:49

to apologize it's really hard to hear

18:51

you guys um but if you want to try to

18:54

ask any more questions I know I have my

18:55

photographer here with me maybe we can

18:57

both um try navigate that

19:01

together College Avenue and High Street

19:04

I believe is what he just said we're

19:06

trying to get as close as possible of

19:08

course without getting her ourselves

19:11

there's a lot happening in this

19:15

moment to arrest they're telling people

19:18

they are subject to arrest if they do

19:20

not leave

19:22

now we've heard that same sentence I

19:24

would say quite a few times since we've

19:26

been here throughout the night Stephanie

19:28

I want to ask ask you another question

19:29

as you've been speaking with protesters

19:31

tonight have they given you any idea for

19:33

their specific goal of their protest

19:41

[Music]

19:43

tonight and as for protest goals you

19:46

know they just want themselves you know

19:48

to be heard I believe you know earlier

19:51

we were talking to folks out here who

19:53

had said they you know they have um you

19:56

know issues here with the university and

19:59

um you know things that they don't

20:02

really oh I apologize I just got pushed

20:04

again I'm trying to get to a better

20:05

space so I can sit and speak with you

20:07

again the goal as I was trying to say is

20:10

for their voices to be heard I talked to

20:13

quite a few people tonight who said they

20:15

just want people to know you know how

20:17

they feel in this moment in this time

20:19

this um there's a lot of high intense

20:22

emotions here and it's been like that

20:24

throughout the course of the

20:26

day Stephanie are you seeing anybody

20:29

obeying the order

20:31

toally seen anybody from the group

20:35

specifically leave um there are people

20:38

surrounding campus right now here south

20:41

oval um kind of watching everything as

20:43

it happens from a distance um but when

20:46

it comes to people who are specifically

20:49

in this circle that we have had our

20:51

cameras on for hours and hours

20:53

throughout the course of the day no they

20:54

have not um I have not seen them um

20:59

I just saw somebody Chuck or throw a

21:02

water bottle full of

21:04

water

21:10

not again I want to apologize it's hard

21:12

to communicate with um all of the

21:24

noise we're trying to wiggle ourselves

21:27

in here so we can show you what we're

21:29

seeing of course you know abiding by

21:31

what police have asked us to

21:33

do I want to apologize for any

21:36

profanities that you may hear on this

21:38

live

21:41

stream there is a higher power as my

21:43

photographer stays there though I am

21:45

going to take a walk

21:47

[Music]

21:53

around I'm also you know I'm going to

21:55

take a a second to um re convene with my

21:59

photographer so Bob and staa I'm going

22:01

to give you uh the floor for a second um

22:03

so I can take a walk around and just

22:05

kind of regroup

22:07

myself all right if you're just joining

22:09

us here this is a very tense situation

22:11

that's been unfolding since the top of

22:12

the hour since 10:00 almost to Sharp uh

22:15

on the OSU campus South oval near the

22:17

union where a large group of

22:18

demonstrators has been all evening all

22:20

afternoon all day in fact and at 10:00

22:22

tonight uh various law enforcement

22:24

agencies moved in and are trying to get

22:26

the group to disperse and at this hour

22:29

we've seen multiple people taken into

22:31

custody we are watching this very

22:34

closely because at this point it appears

22:36

that law enforcement are working to

22:38

disperse the crowd they're moving in

22:41

they are pulling some people out and the

22:44

students and we heard from an instructor

22:46

there on site saying they are trying to

22:49

pray they are trying to get their

22:52

message across and at this hour it does

22:55

not appear that the two groups police

22:59

the law enforcement as well as the

23:00

protesters have reached any kind of

23:02

agreement on what we're going to do

23:04

going forward here as we can tell

23:05

there's a the group is sort of dis set

23:08

up in a circle uh there was a middle

23:10

area where some protesters in tents were

23:13

located and the staa said there was a

23:15

the word that they were praying with the

23:17

tents in that center part protected by

23:20

row after row of demonstrators uh the

23:23

police just moved in or one of the

23:24

agencies probably the state patrol they

23:26

seem to be the most numerous moved in

23:28

and began to haul the tents out and take

23:31

the people out of the tents just moments

23:33

ago and here again the situation

23:35

escalating again another person being

23:37

taken to the ground presumably to be

23:38

arrested we want to go back to our

23:40

Stephanie depre live within the crowd

23:43

now Stephanie what are you

23:46

seeing yeah Bob and sta I have a a

23:49

better ear on you now you know in the

23:52

last maybe I don't know 10 minutes I

23:54

think we've seen about maybe six or

23:55

seven people taken to the ground and

23:57

arrested

23:59

so we're looking at one of those arrests

24:00

right now actually we're standing in

24:02

front of a line of officers that have

24:03

asked us to be further away from the

24:05

crowd at this moment so if you want to

24:07

take a look and we're going to try to

24:08

zoom in I'm going to move around

24:10

here we're zooming in on that arrest

24:12

happening at this moment we're going to

24:14

take a

24:22

walk now again the group as police are

24:27

running right into the CC you can we're

24:29

trying to give you a better vision of

24:31

this happening very intense moments here

24:33

tonight again as you heard from that

24:35

Professor I just spoke to earlier

24:37

instructor she said she did not

24:38

anticipate this to happen tonight or be

24:40

at this type of degree um I will I do

24:44

want to say that you know three people

24:46

were arrested this afternoon of course

24:48

throughout the day again there's way

24:50

more being arrested tonight but you know

24:53

we when we got here we had FES here all

24:55

day but when I got here personally I

24:58

heard police maybe address the crowd I

25:00

would say one or two times asking them

25:04

to leave and again it has been several

25:07

hours right at 10:00 right at 10:00 as

25:09

we started as I had said to you this is

25:12

what started happening at 10:00 right on

25:14

the dot and this is what we've seen

25:16

happen since so we're watching police

25:18

again trying to move the crowd in a

25:20

different direction I'm not too sure I

25:24

just need a clear path out of here clear

25:25

path got it absolutely that's again

25:28

police asking us to make a clear path

25:30

for people either who want to leave or

25:34

and again as we're seeing right now

25:36

another person being arrested someone is

25:38

on the ground they're arresting people

25:42

we're going to zoom in here so you can

25:43

see this

25:44

happening someone else on the ground

25:47

being arrested Now by my count that is

25:49

about seven there's another one eight so

25:52

they are arresting people as they go

25:55

there are folks hanging on tight to that

25:58

Circle and again as we had said the

26:00

folks in the middle were intense and

26:03

they were trying to pray is what I was

26:08

told asking again us to leave a clear

26:12

path I'm being shugged right now so give

26:14

me a second to get back on my feet here

26:17

hold

26:18

on asking us to back up which is what we

26:20

will

26:22

[Music]

26:24

do we're going to let Stephanie get to a

26:28

a space that right now might be a little

26:31

a little calmer while we continue to

26:33

cover what's happening on the OSU campus

26:36

again we've been following this since

26:37

the top of the hour as law enforcement

26:39

moved in on protests there on campus as

26:43

protesters continue to voice their

26:46

concerns over the university they want

26:49

the university to stop doing business

26:51

with companies that they say support

26:53

Israel's war and that has been the cry

26:56

from protesters today for for the

26:58

University to divest from those

27:01

companies similar to the message being

27:02

spread at college campuses across the

27:04

country and what has been a very busy

27:06

day for protests uh this one peaceful

27:09

throughout the day and not to say that

27:10

it isn't peaceful now but obviously

27:12

tension's running very very high and the

27:14

pace of arrest seems to be picking up

27:15

here in the last few minutes as well we

27:17

talked with the instructor that uh o

27:19

Stephanie mentioned an OSU instructor

27:22

expressing her disapproval with this

27:23

response she was in fact dismayed and

27:26

could you could tell was angry at the

27:28

response saying after a dozen years of

27:30

watching protests on campus she'd never

27:32

seen a response uh this strong from law

27:35

enforcement and blaming the

27:36

administration for that and today even

27:39

we've seen this to be a growing issue

27:42

across the country on college campuses

27:45

as the semester is wrapping up in fact

27:48

today protests at Emery University in

27:50

Georgia Emerson College in Massachusetts

27:53

the University of Southern California

27:55

again campuses across the country seeing

27:59

protests similar to this tents being set

28:02

up encampments being set up Ohio State

28:05

hoping to avoid some of that with

28:09

protesting happening and it seemed

28:11

earlier today as protesters gathered

28:14

that the university had dispersed things

28:17

early on and then students and other

28:21

members of the community showed up today

28:23

at around 5:00 and this crowd has only

28:26

grown since then again the law

28:28

enforcement moving in precisely at 10:00

28:31

the backside of this circle as we

28:33

understand it right now appears to be

28:35

considerably calmer than the side where

28:37

our other camera is and where police are

28:39

removing the protesters and arresting

28:41

some of them but no real signs at least

28:44

from the views we've been able to see of

28:45

people actually leaving the scene and

28:47

here's a look at the other camera that

28:48

we have on the scene right now again

28:50

this is on the south oval right by the

28:51

Ohio Union we have a statement just in

28:55

from Ohio State University Benjamin

28:58

Johnson a spokesman saying at this hour

29:01

wellestablished University rules

29:04

prohibit camping and overnight events

29:07

demonstrators exercised their first

29:09

amendment rights for several hours and

29:10

were then instructed to disperse

29:12

individuals who refused to leave after

29:14

multiple warnings were arrested and

29:17

charged with criminal trespass again

29:19

that statement coming in from Ohio State

29:21

just in the last few moments so we

29:24

continue following this happening at

29:26

this hour on the C of Ohio State just

29:30

outside of the Student Union you can see

29:31

it there in the background tonight A

29:33

Crowd that has only grown since 5:00

29:37

this afternoon oh staia mentioning that

29:40

the protesters have been calling for the

29:42

University to divest Financial interests

29:45

in Israel and in areas companies that

29:49

are supporting the Israeli cause and

29:51

conflict with Palestine it turns out

29:54

we've discovered tonight that state law

29:56

prevents the University from from

29:58

divesting in Israel uh Ohio Revised Code

30:02

section 9.76 went into effect a couple

30:05

of years ago and even if it wanted to

30:07

the school isn't allowed to back out of

30:09

a deal because one group has a problem

30:11

with Israel it's called the anti-bds law

30:14

that's boycott divestment and sanctions

30:17

the change for this has to come from the

30:19

state house not from campus a reminder

30:22

again this is finals week OSU

30:25

Administration hoping to focus on Final

30:28

unless on scenes like this but again

30:31

this has been a growing concern

30:33

throughout the day as tensions have

30:36

risen on the OSU campus earlier this

30:39

week we did get a statement from

30:41

University president Ted Carter

30:43

indicating students would be allowed to

30:45

voice concerns wanting to hear student

30:48

concerns but disruptions to campus life

30:51

he said and violence would not be

30:54

tolerated and again you heard just

30:56

moments ago the state from Ben Johnson

30:59

with Ohio State indicating that

31:02

overnight events on campus would not be

31:04

allowed as well you know it's

31:06

interesting if you just from an audible

31:08

standpoint if you listen to the EB and

31:10

flow of uh the chanting and of the

31:13

outrage we seem to have found ourselves

31:16

at least right now in a bit of a lull

31:19

and the Troopers are no longer bringing

31:21

people out of the circle here and

31:23

arresting them have to maintain

31:25

hopefully maintain this calm for the

31:28

rest of the evening but uh we've seen

31:30

tensions rise very suddenly without much

31:33

warning so we'll just have to watch this

31:35

situation very close

31:36

to we continue following this at this

31:39

hour because it does not at this op at

31:41

this moment appear that things are

31:44

calming down even though things have

31:46

quieted down you can still see a number

31:50

of troopers on site we've seen other law

31:54

enforcement groups as part of this to

31:58

college Aven

32:00

situation we want to go back to our

32:03

Stephanie due who is live there with the

32:07

protesters tonight Stephanie what else

32:10

are you hearing at this hour and where

32:12

are you in relation to what we are

32:16

seeing yeah Bob and stasa yeah we are

32:19

right in the middle of it we are right

32:21

in the middle of what is happening and

32:24

as you said you know things are

32:26

escalating it is it seems like a lull

32:28

and it's quiet but that's not uh you

32:31

know not what's happening it looks like

32:32

the chanting has stopped for a brief

32:35

moment it's hard to get into the middle

32:37

of that Circle again trying to abide by

32:39

what police have asked us to do and

32:41

obviously you know we want to keep

32:43

ourselves safe but at this moment you

32:45

know people are are still the folks who

32:48

are on the outside of the circle again

32:50

are holding arms trying to you know

32:53

desperately protect the folks who are in

32:55

the middle and from what I was told um

32:57

while you guys um were speaking that

32:59

they are still trying to

33:03

pray and officers are still asking uh

33:06

law enforcement are still asking people

33:09

to leave um that does not seem to be the

33:12

case at this moment I wonder if we can

33:13

wiggle in here and see if we can get

33:15

anything from anybody else you know hey

33:16

how you guys doing how are you feeling

33:18

what is going on do you feel like you're

33:20

going to move at any moment um I don't

33:23

know just anxious I guess yeah and I

33:26

guess you know tell me you know why are

33:27

you here and what do you got what are

33:28

you

33:30

doing we're here to support Gaza as

33:33

everyone should

33:35

but if

33:38

people these people think that it's

33:42

terrible to stand then arrest

33:44

everyone for

33:46

standing are you a student here I'm not

33:49

going to comment on that okay and how

33:51

have you been here all day no only a

33:54

couple hours and can you tell us what is

33:55

happening in this moment and what is

33:57

happening in the middle of the circle

33:58

that we cannot see there is a prayer and

34:02

we are trying to protect these people

34:03

who are praying

34:05

but I guess the cops are against

34:09

pray and seeing police here how does

34:12

that make you

34:13

feel I mean this is what we expected but

34:17

I am okay with this I made this decision

34:21

because I believe in things and if

34:22

people believe in things then they need

34:24

to stand up because a lot of people are

34:26

not standing up

34:28

thank you very much we're going to oh

34:31

I've been asked to move by police I

34:33

believe I just got asked again so that's

34:35

what I'm going to do um they did let me

34:38

stand there to talk to that protester uh

34:40

for a second so I'm going to move in

34:43

this

34:45

[Music]

34:48

moment again increasing you know

34:50

tensions Rising here as you just heard

34:52

you know she didn't comment on whether

34:54

she was a student here or not um but she

34:56

did want to be here and stand in

34:58

solidarity with a group for something uh

35:00

you know that they believe in that's one

35:02

of the reasons that they're here to make

35:03

their voice

35:07

[Music]

35:09

heard

35:18

don't you can hear people getting

35:21

agitated you can hear things that people

35:24

are saying from either right next to me

35:26

across from me again we have Police

35:28

pulling somebody else out of the

35:31

circle if I can get around here I can

35:34

show you that they are um in fact being

35:40

[Music]

35:46

arrested we are watching what's

35:48

happening on Ohio State's campus at this

35:50

hour where protesters are are being

35:54

dispersed by law enforcement at this

35:56

hour joining us on on the phone right

35:58

now for perspective on the law

36:01

enforcement action being taken that we

36:04

are seeing as retired Delaware County

36:06

Sheriff Russ Martin joining us now

36:08

Sheriff we appreciate your time tonight

36:11

when you look at this scene happening

36:13

right now at Ohio State what do you see

36:16

from a law enforcement

36:18

perspective well my comments are only as

36:22

an observer but one who had 43 years of

36:24

experience in law enforcement and I will

36:27

tell you that um it's law enforcement

36:31

effort is coordinated tonight I'm sure

36:33

there was significant briefing uh in

36:37

advance as to what the objectives uh

36:40

would be and it would probably really

36:42

benefit if um one of your reporters

36:45

could locate you know a spokesperson for

36:48

law enforcement I um again I'm just

36:50

being a little bit presumptuous but I

36:53

suspect that the uh possibility of an

36:56

encampment or the tents could be

36:58

problematic and be a violation so

37:01

there's probably more to this than meet

37:03

the ey obviously as you look at this and

37:07

and the coordinated effort that it would

37:08

take based on the training that that you

37:11

have been through yourself and that you

37:14

see at play right now what are the key

37:17

points that you were looking at well I

37:19

think you've got multiple agencies

37:22

present which means that there's been a

37:25

uh you know it's been a coordinated

37:27

effort well in

37:28

advance uh there's been uh discussions

37:32

and planning I mean this is not

37:33

something that's halfhazard uh obviously

37:37

my perspective is from law enforcement I

37:39

think they're controlled they're

37:41

professional they've learned a lot

37:43

through the last couple years including

37:45

some of the uh riots that we saw in

37:47

previous years and I think this is uh uh

37:50

these are difficult circumstances you

37:52

want to U uh obviously honor the First

37:55

Amendment rights of those folks but

37:57

there's other issues that can uh require

38:00

law enforcement intervention and again

38:02

I'm just being presumptuous as an

38:04

observer but I would suspect that

38:06

there's a concern probably for the tents

38:08

and maybe uh you know the encampment but

38:12

again I think a law enforcement

38:14

representative on the scene somebody

38:16

who's a spokesperson could probably tell

38:18

you clearly what they're trying to

38:19

accomplish Russ what do you suspect I

38:22

know you're not there and but with all

38:24

of your experience what do you suspect

38:26

were the instructions for the law

38:28

enforcers as they moved in tonight from

38:31

their uh from their uh higher

38:33

ups well I there's there's always

38:36

discussion on the value of honoring the

38:39

Constitution and protecting People's

38:42

First Amendment rights you uh uh you

38:44

want to be uh while you're uh exhibiting

38:48

Force you want to be uh pragmatic and

38:51

consider it uh you could see that law

38:53

enforcement was trying to communicate

38:54

and talk to many of the folks that are

38:57

on this scen again that's an indication

38:59

of well-trained uh coordinated effort so

39:02

they're trying to communicate and uh but

39:04

the fact that they are you know moving

39:06

forward and I've seen some tents removed

39:08

there's probably uh you know some other

39:10

objective that they're trying to um

39:14

accomplish retired Sheriff Delaware

39:17

County Russ Martin joining us live on

39:18

the phone for perspective on the law

39:21

enforcement initiative what we are

39:23

seeing tonight on the campus of Ohio

39:26

State Sheriff thank you so much for your

39:28

time tonight we are checking back in

39:30

with our reporter Stephanie depre who

39:32

has been live on the scene tonight and

39:35

has been carrying us through taking us

39:37

through what's happening here from a

39:39

couple of different Vantage points so

39:41

Stephanie I know you are are in The Fray

39:44

there and you're getting shoved and kind

39:46

of

39:47

moved in this as well what can you tell

39:51

us about what you are seeing and what is

39:52

changing at this hour attention you're

39:55

under arrest for yes you know we're

39:58

again we have not moved we have been in

40:01

the thick of what is happening um since

40:04

really since since all of this started

40:07

and I do want to comment you know on on

40:09

we just heard from law enforcement from

40:11

that law enforcement's perspective you

40:12

know I I did want to reiterate that I

40:14

did touch base on how officers um you

40:16

know from what I'm seeing have handled

40:18

this situation again I have been here

40:20

for hours and I've watched as police

40:23

have asked the group or asked the group

40:24

to leave I heard it multiple times I

40:27

even even sent it out on social media

40:28

I've been tweeting about it all day just

40:30

showing that perspective from the group

40:32

to law enforcement group to law

40:33

enforcement so again I have been there

40:35

throughout the day and I have seen how

40:37

the group has acted and how law

40:39

enforcement has acted and at this point

40:41

and again as we heard from that law

40:42

enforcement perspective at some point um

40:45

in any type of situation as you can

40:47

imagine they would have to intervene and

40:49

that is what we're seeing at this pointr

40:52

criminal Tres sorry I just got pushed

40:55

again so I'm just going to thank you

40:56

Stephanie again we hear the law

40:57

enforcers uh calling out to the crowd

40:59

over the loudspeakers that they are

41:01

under arrest for criminal trespassing

41:03

and they have been hauling folks out of

41:05

that Circle it's a circle of folks

41:07

encircling a group that were in tents

41:09

that were told were inside the middle uh

41:11

praying some of the tents have been

41:13

removed we've had a good look inside

41:15

there now and in fact there are a number

41:16

of green tents in there and again some

41:18

people have been removed out of them and

41:20

some of the tents have been taken away

41:22

uh folks encircling it right now linking

41:24

arms in many cases and being told by the

41:26

long forcers who are staring them down

41:29

that they are going to be arrested and

41:30

we have seen several arrests now

41:32

probably as many as a dozen one of the

41:34

orders we heard earlier tonight from law

41:37

enforcement on scene saying you were in

41:40

violation of University space rules you

41:42

were subject to arrest under Ohio

41:44

Revised Code and for criminal

41:47

trespassing that's what we heard earlier

41:49

that was hours ago and law enforcement

41:52

has maintained their presence and then

41:55

at 10:00 that presence grew

41:58

exponentially and it seemed they were

42:01

working to disperse this crowd right

42:03

there at the top of the hour again

42:05

tensions high on the OSU campus tonight

42:08

along with many other campuses across

42:10

the country as students and protesters

42:14

call for the University to divest from

42:19

companies they believe are connected to

42:21

the Israel Hamas War we don't really

42:23

have a a good indication at this point

42:26

visually of just how many people if in

42:28

fact anybody has actually dispersed uh

42:31

as per the instructions from law

42:33

enforcers plenty of people still around

42:35

and continuing to chant and stare down

42:38

the law enforcement presence and there

42:40

are the tents some of them anyway they

42:42

were inside the middle of that ring want

42:44

to go back to a statement that

42:47

University president Ted Carter issued

42:49

earlier this week about the tensions

42:53

that they could Sense on campus that

42:54

were already rising and now we see these

42:56

protest here tonight that have grown

42:59

throughout the day part of the quote

43:01

that the president of Ohio state issued

43:03

earlier this week includes when

43:06

protected speech becomes incitement or

43:08

threats of violence Ohio state has and

43:11

will always move quickly to enforce the

43:13

law and University policy I will not

43:17

compromise on this again that is a quote

43:19

from president Ted Carter with Ohio

43:22

State from earlier this week in a

43:24

message that was sent to the university

43:27

body so potentially all students who are

43:29

here on site have received that

43:33

[Music]

43:38

message you can hear the students

43:41

chanting at this hour protesters I

43:44

should say because we know this is a mix

43:46

of students community members we heard

43:49

from an instructor earlier this hour and

43:52

our Stephanie Dee is there live as well

43:55

speaking with the people who are there

43:57

and what they want to say Stephanie what

43:59

do you continue to

44:02

hear yes we continue to hear uh the

44:05

chanting I'm trying to get into the

44:07

middle of the group here this is the

44:09

first time we're getting a look at the

44:10

Circle this close now I want to just say

44:13

you know the professor that we spoke to

44:14

maybe about a half hour ago I did see

44:17

police um arrest her so they are making

44:21

arrests as they make these comments I'm

44:24

going to try to get into the middle of

44:25

this circle here so we can

44:30

you know what I see one of our local

44:33

folks whom we

44:42

know get everyone everyone out we can do

44:44

that and then come back

44:52

[Applause]

44:56

tomorrow right now you're seeing State

44:58

oppression to the highest amount over

45:00

Palestinian people who are peacefully

45:02

protesting we're seeing nothing but

45:03

aggression from the police officers here

45:06

on osu's campus they were aggressive

45:08

early in the morning arresting multiple

45:10

students and now they're doing so in the

45:12

most violent violent way possible

45:14

destroying a peaceful encampment person

45:17

praying and they

45:20

ripped happening inside of

45:23

the inside of

45:25

the's no one of the at the moment um

45:31

but they were they were arresting people

45:33

and assaulting people while they praying

45:35

they ripped off a woman

45:38

[Applause]

45:42

hij which is uh totally against the

45:45

rules they criminalized protests on

45:48

college campuses and they're doing this

45:50

Nationwide doing it here in the largest

45:52

university in the United States hearing

45:55

from you guys know directly know feel

45:57

like your voices were hard at all today

45:59

not by the administration but by the

46:02

community I think our voices are our

46:04

voices are being our voices are being

46:06

heard collectively throughout the nation

46:08

as a Glo through the world as a global

46:10

movement students uh around the country

46:13

around the world are being heard and

46:15

there uh this is being commented on in

46:17

Israel in Palestine across the world

46:20

everyone is seeing this everyone is

46:22

seeing the way um the United States

46:24

shift straight towards authoritarianism

46:27

the same way they did during the Vietnam

46:28

war the same way they've done through

46:30

our uh black people protesting for their

46:32

Liberation in

46:35

2020 did you have something you want to

46:37

add I'm sorry I completely agree with

46:39

yes and has been saying we've seen

46:41

nothing but strong repressive tactics

46:43

being used by OSU Administration it took

46:46

them forever to just acknowledge the

46:48

right of life of a Palestinian person

46:50

here and Palestinian students on this

46:52

campus have always been uh under the

46:55

abuse for Optics of OSU admin so uh what

46:58

you're seeing right now is literally a

47:01

peaceful protest a peaceful Gathering

47:03

there was no ill will intent there's

47:05

some tents there was some food there was

47:06

some water and what you're seeing right

47:08

now is a complete overreaction by police

47:11

where they're ripping people's hijabs

47:13

off they're uh violently arresting

47:15

people people have been tased they've

47:16

been threatening violence this entire

47:18

day and to see you as a familiar face

47:21

here you know we've seen you throughout

47:21

the community and now we see you here at

47:23

OSU on campus I want to ask I did see

47:26

officers Troopers talking to protesters

47:29

before this happened so I want to ask

47:33

throughout the course of the day has

47:34

anyone a part of this group walked up to

47:36

law enforcement and told them what I

47:38

mean I just want to ask as out of

47:39

curiosity there were multiple

47:41

conversations multiple attempts of

47:43

conversations and when those

47:44

conversations were attempted to be had

47:47

officers were not willing to listen to

47:49

students admin avoided every

47:51

conversation possible with students and

47:53

that's what has led to this result here

47:55

so there was an attempt by students but

47:58

not by

48:00

admin got it and at this point have you

48:02

been told you know are they trying to

48:04

push the crowd in this direction do you

48:06

know like what what is the point of this

48:08

why are they lined up over there have

48:09

you heard anything I have not heard

48:11

anything at all I would assume it's just

48:14

a way to confuse people I would assume

48:16

it plays into their tactics I do not

48:19

know why they're trying to uh uh Force

48:21

violence on people but that's exactly

48:23

what they have been doing and I assume

48:26

you guys are going to continue to stay

48:27

here uh for the rest of the night it

48:28

looks like your tents are destroyed the

48:32

tents the the tents are destroyed our

48:35

Spirits are not we're actually going to

48:37

move people out of here because the

48:40

officers have been so incredibly violent

48:42

we know we have to leave in order to

48:44

protect our community and that's our

48:46

biggest goal is protecting our community

48:48

making sure that their voices are heard

48:50

we believe that their voices have been

48:52

heard today as problems have been raised

48:54

and people's Consciousness has been

48:56

raised

48:57

and anybody can see the amount of

48:59

violence that people are going through

49:00

here right now at OSU thank you very

49:03

much I appreciate it thank you Bob St

49:06

you know as you guys you know I'm just

49:07

hearing now we got right into the middle

49:09

of the circle we've been trying to get

49:11

in this specific space for hours the

49:14

entire day so I want to toss it over to

49:17

you guys for a second so maybe we can

49:18

readjust and regroup uh so we don't get

49:21

um ourselves in a in a situation okay

49:23

Stephanie to pray live on Ohio State's

49:26

campus at this hour where tensions

49:29

continue to escalate there outside of

49:32

the Student Union the Ohio Union there

49:34

where protesters have been gathered

49:36

throughout the day but just in the last

49:38

few hours things have really grown in

49:41

this space as far as tension as far as

49:44

numbers of protesters as they continue

49:47

to ask Ohio State to divest from

49:51

companies they believe

49:53

support the war between Israel and Hamas

49:56

you can see the collection of tents that

49:59

have been uh ripped up by law enforcers

50:02

some of them destroyed people actually

50:03

taken out of them earlier here the law

50:06

enforcement moving in at exactly 10:00

50:08

tonight coming in lines and moving to

50:11

this large Circle multi rows of folks

50:14

encircling this encampment of green

50:17

tents and again as Stephanie Dee just

50:19

pointed out she's finally made it into

50:21

the inner ring of that and we see the

50:22

collection of tents that's since been

50:24

destroyed a protester noting that the

50:26

world is watching us college campuses

50:30

many of which have had protests

50:32

throughout the day today and decrying

50:34

what he called an overreaction by law

50:36

enforcers in breaking up what he called

50:38

this peaceful protest that have been

50:39

going on day at

50:41

OSU just in the last half hour we

50:43

received a statement from Ohio State

50:45

about what's happening here tonight on

50:48

campus Benjamin Johnson spokesperson

50:51

shared with us earlier wellestablished

50:53

University rules prohibit camping and

50:55

overnight events demonstrators exercised

50:58

their first amendment rights for several

51:01

hours and were then instructed to

51:02

disperse individuals who refused to

51:05

leave after multiple warnings were

51:06

arrested and charged with criminal

51:08

trespass and again you can see a large

51:12

law enforcement presence on campus at

51:14

this hour you can see there is a seal

51:17

right there on the the a patch there for

51:19

the Ohio State Highway Patrol who has a

51:22

large presence here tonight but this

51:23

appears to be a coordinated law

51:25

enforcement effort among multiple

51:28

agencies at times it is difficult to

51:30

determine which agencies are on site

51:33

right now but it does appear that the

51:35

highway patrol are in control of this

51:39

situation or are leading the situation

51:41

at this hour protester just telling our

51:43

Stephanie de pre that he was going to

51:45

try to be part of an effort to move

51:48

people out and avoid violence but we're

51:51

seeing no signs of movement toward

51:53

College Avenue from the south oval which

51:55

is what law enforcement is trying to

51:57

make happen here trying to get these

51:58

folks to disperse and move toward

52:00

College Avenue but again we don't see

52:01

any movement at least from this group at

52:03

this point and this is what we have seen

52:06

across the country it is not just Ohio

52:08

State where protests like this have been

52:10

happening even today from coast to coast

52:14

we've seen schools with protesters on

52:18

site and we've been following this again

52:20

from coast to coast as we continue to

52:22

follow protests regarding the Israel

52:25

Hamas War

52:29

criminal we want to go to Stephanie to

52:31

pray live for us now where we are

52:34

checking in on her perspective and what

52:36

she is seeing at this hour

52:41

Stephanie we were in the middle uh of

52:43

that Circle and we've actually made our

52:45

way out and again yes so that uh who I

52:47

was speaking to Ramon obey he is a uh a

52:50

local uh a local guy that we have talked

52:53

to many times you know he comes out to

52:56

event

52:57

like this to help um help protesters

53:00

help you know talk with police you know

53:02

as you just heard him say he is also

53:03

trying to help move the crowd in a

53:06

different direction it looks like that

53:08

is it's trying to happen um not all the

53:11

way there yet but this we have moved you

53:14

know the circle has now been completely

53:17

detached um I can you can see Ramone

53:20

right now I don't know if we can see him

53:21

in there but you can see him in the

53:22

middle of the circle right now with

53:24

police telling people to move back

53:26

asking them to move back so you can see

53:30

we are now caught up in the middle of

53:31

the circle so give me a second to maybe

53:33

get to a safe space so I can get out of

53:35

here so I can narrate to you what I'm

53:37

seeing so I don't get pushed

53:40

over all right as I just heard you know

53:42

Ramone you can you can hear him take a

53:45

listen we're moving this

53:52

way now the group I'm going to step out

53:55

of frame here

53:57

proceed to College Avenue the group

53:59

seems to be moving to College Avenue at

54:01

least that's the direction that we're

54:03

going now officers

54:05

following as you just heard um Ramone

54:09

asking the crowd to move with him it

54:11

looks like that is what is happening in

54:13

this

54:20

moment so we're going to let you take a

54:22

look and see what is happening we're

54:25

going to walk more toward towards the

54:27

union we're going to try to get out of

54:28

the grass for a

54:32

moment all right so at this

54:35

point oh here I'm going to take a look

54:37

this

54:39

way telling people to go home so Ramone

54:41

has just made a comment to another

54:43

protester and asked them to communicate

54:46

to others and ask them to go home for

54:48

the night just to make a note that this

54:51

is what happens on OSU campus when

54:55

peaceful protesters attempts to practice

54:58

their freedom of speech and their

55:00

freedom of assembly this is how the

55:02

university reacts it sends Riot troopers

55:04

on us students who pay to go to school

55:08

can I have your first and last name and

55:09

are you a student here I am not a

55:11

student but I came with students my name

55:12

is Muhammad Mustafa and I came here with

55:15

the SJP to join them in this Gaza

55:17

encampment to stand in solidarity with

55:20

Palestinians fighting against genocide

55:22

and calling this University to divest

55:25

from death and call calling this

55:26

University to divest from Israeli

55:28

corporations that are profiting off of

55:30

the death of Palestinians in Gaza and

55:32

this is the reaction we get violent

55:35

police officers ripping the hijabs off

55:37

of peaceful protesters trying to assault

55:39

peaceful Palestinian worshippers who

55:41

were praying they were pushing in on us

55:44

and barricading us their their legs were

55:46

on our arms as we were praying this is

55:48

how we we we get treated for simply

55:52

expressing our freedom of assembly and

55:54

freedom of speech at the Ohio State

55:55

University University this is what the

55:57

university does to students to Peaceful

55:59

protesters and to concerned community

56:01

members instead of being an institution

56:04

that promotes Higher Learning and

56:06

promotes Justice inequality and Equity

56:08

they are cracking down on their students

56:10

who are standing up for what is right

56:12

and they are attacking them and doing a

56:14

mass arrest campaign against college

56:16

students and this is a symbol for what

56:18

is happening greater in our world that

56:20

the forces of evil and the forces that

56:23

are standing to profit off the genocide

56:24

of Palestinians are continuously

56:27

cracking down as their last Gras of

56:29

power I appreciate you speaking with me

56:31

thank you very

56:32

much I seem to have lost my photographer

56:35

so I'm going to take a walk around and

56:36

see if I can find him but in the

56:37

meantime I'm just going to narrate to

56:39

you uh what I am seeing so I'm going to

56:42

take a walk around and see if I can

56:44

locate him it looks like police have

56:46

made this one

56:48

line I was able to find him so I'm going

56:50

to walk over this

56:53

way so it looks like police now the

56:55

circle again the CC

56:57

Circle there is no more

57:00

Circle police are all in one line if

57:03

your car is North you have to go out

57:04

through High Street I can hear

57:07

protesters talking to one another asking

57:10

them to move in a different direction

57:11

officers are moving forward okay hold on

57:14

it's all right it's all right it's all

57:16

right take I'm here I'm here I'm here

57:19

here all right all right I apologize for

57:21

the profanities I just got pushed give

57:23

me a second I apologize for the

57:25

profanities I just got pushed again I'm

57:26

trying not to fall over so you're seeing

57:29

what I'm seeing police are moving

57:31

everybody

57:35

forward I apologize if I sounded up

57:37

breath I'm trying not to get trampled by

57:40

people as police move people forward I'm

57:42

going to stand behind my photographer so

57:44

you can see what I can

57:47

see and as you see you know police are

57:49

moving people towards College D we're

57:52

going to head this way again you hear

57:55

people screaming officers have now

57:57

stopped but this is where they're

57:58

standing now pushing the crowd further

58:01

away from uh the

58:07

union we're going to let this kind of

58:09

Nar it out so you can hear what I'm

58:12

[Music]

58:15

hearing

58:18

street again you hear protesters right

58:21

now telling each other to go home at

58:23

this point I think I've heard it maybe

58:25

six or seven times times now um

58:27

especially some of the folks like again

58:28

those familiar faces that we have seen

58:30

again this is where police are standing

58:32

now I would if we can get the camera

58:34

down you can see how long that line is

58:36

you can see how many officers are

58:38

standing here now trying to keep people

58:40

away from the middle

58:43

um you can see if we can if we can if we

58:46

can get the camera to see all that trash

58:48

and everything in the middle you

58:51

can sorry I'm trying not to speak over

58:54

everybody else and also not trying to

58:56

scam people are now running oh my

59:03

God everything is okay we're okay

59:06

everything is okay we're okay people are

59:09

being tackled to the ground my

59:10

photographer and I are trying to be

59:11

careful so we don't get knocked over

59:13

ourselves I'm not sure what just

59:14

escalated this but people are now being

59:16

shoved even further down the street I'm

59:19

not really oh my God I apologize I wish

59:22

pushed

59:24

over we we're going to let Stephie get

59:26

to a safe a safe space for a moment

59:29

while we watch what is happening where

59:31

tensions have just escalated in the last

59:34

few moments and it as it appeared that

59:37

protesters were dispersing here on site

59:41

of the o Ohio State campus we know that

59:44

Ohio State Highway Patrol appears to be

59:47

leading the law enforcement effort we

59:50

can't see specifically what other

59:52

agencies are involved we've been looking

59:55

for comments on Twitter from CPD and

59:59

Ohio State Police and neither have

60:01

commented on the situation that is

60:03

happening on this campus at this hour

60:06

but again you can see this is a

60:07

coordinated effort among multiple law

60:10

enforcement agencies as they work to

60:12

disperse this group we've seen several

60:14

arrests in the last hour as troopers

60:18

moved in at around 10:00 we saw a very

60:22

specific effort to disperse the crowd at

60:25

that time and things have just escalated

60:28

from there yeah we we saw what would

60:29

appear to be a very positive development

60:31

as far as dispersing the crowd here uh

60:35

oh there's Stephanie we'll get back to

60:37

you oh Stephanie okay go ahead yeah

60:40

sorry no you were right there was a

60:42

positive development and I kind of just

60:43

want to um put myself on camera so I I

60:46

feel like you guys haven't really seen

60:47

me because I've been narrating what is

60:48

happening around me but we are okay at

60:50

this point I cannot tell you really what

60:53

just happened but I you as you saw for

60:56

yourself it looked like a few people

60:57

this while we're praying while we were

60:59

praying I hear

61:00

you again I wanted to get myself on

61:03

camera to show you that we are okay

61:05

again I'm not sure what just escalated

61:07

but something escalated and you saw it

61:09

for yourself so the crowd is still

61:12

moving in uh the direction I believe we

61:15

are completely no one is on the grounds

61:17

anymore so again I just wanted to kind

61:19

of just get myself on camera here

61:21

Stephanie you talked with the

61:22

demonstrator I believe his name is

61:24

Ramone and you knew him and he me

61:25

mentioned that he was going to try to

61:27

convince folks to move the way that the

61:30

uh the law enforcement is telling them

61:32

to move towards College to avoid

61:35

violence and he appeared to be having

61:36

some success it looked like the crowd

61:38

was in fact breaking up to a certain

61:40

degree before we saw that altercation a

61:42

moment

61:44

ago yeah Bob that's exactly right and

61:47

that's that's that's try that's what is

61:49

trying to happen at this point I think

61:50

you've been watching us move forward

61:53

maybe the last like five minutes I can't

61:55

really give you a specific direction in

61:57

which they're trying to to push the

61:59

crowd only because it's just one long

62:02

strip of officers but yes I did speak to

62:04

Ramon we have talked to him multiple

62:06

times so many times I throughout the

62:09

course of the year so again as these

62:11

protests happen again you know this was

62:14

not the scene earlier today this was not

62:16

the scene before 10:00 at night so a lot

62:19

of people that I spoke to said they are

62:21

surprised that this escalated to this

62:24

degree Stephanie can you describe to us

62:28

where you are because we we know you

62:30

were there in front of the Ohio Union

62:32

but where are you now can you describe

62:34

what we are seeing what intersection

62:36

that is attention you're under arrest

62:39

for Criminal Trespass you're sorry I

62:43

just had to take a second we are now on

62:45

the corner of College Road so we have

62:48

made our way not just me but everyone

62:52

who was here tonight we are now in the

62:53

middle of uh College roads so we at that

62:56

intersection literally right before the

62:58

union so you know we've moved I would

63:02

say significantly um but they're still

63:05

trying to push folks and again they just

63:07

wanted folks out of that area and they

63:10

just said go towards College Road and

63:12

that's where everybody is standing at

63:13

this moment so now we're just kind of

63:15

walking around with the crowd to see you

63:17

know what people are doing what they're

63:20

saying so that's kind of where we are

63:21

and here's a better vantage point of

63:23

what police is looking like so this is

63:26

the intersection this is the corner of

63:27

where we are on College Road this is uh

63:30

West 12th AV so take a look at what

63:33

police looks like now so you were seeing

63:35

police and an entire group together and

63:37

now they're just lining the street all

63:39

the way down so nobody can

63:41

trespass why are theying the

63:44

street um you'll have to I have no idea

63:47

why I just got here sorry

63:50

okay so Stephanie depe so as you just

63:53

heard some people are confused sure no

63:55

Stephanie Dee live for us tonight who's

63:58

been following this protest as it

64:00

continues on the OSU campus at this hour

64:04

and then Stephanie is there any idea how

64:06

many of the protesters you saw in that

64:09

group is there any way to know how many

64:11

of them were students because it seems

64:14

like the majority of the folks you

64:16

talked to were not actually affiliated

64:19

with the University or they were not

64:22

students you know what sta that's a very

64:24

good point and I actually meant to

64:25

address that um but there is again as

64:28

you can see a lot happening um I want to

64:31

say a lot of folks I was speaking to

64:33

today did say they are not students

64:36

however earlier I did get a chance to

64:37

speak to a student who is affiliated

64:39

with uh the university um she's

64:41

affiliated with one of the uh groups

64:44

here but most of them again and I can't

64:47

even honestly I feel like I can't even

64:48

give you a ballpark of a number because

64:51

the group um at least from earlier today

64:54

into tonight it just kind of kept

64:55

growing and growing and you can't at

64:57

this point you can't really tell the

64:59

difference from folks who were

65:00

affiliated with the protest and folks

65:03

who are kind of just standing by uh you

65:05

know watching as this all unfolds and

65:08

again you just heard you know someone

65:09

come up to me and she said hey what is

65:11

going on and it's a student she had a

65:12

backpack and you know a a laptop in her

65:15

hand and she's like what is going on so

65:17

it's really a mix out here so you know

65:19

I'm sorry I can't give you a specific

65:20

number or even gauge it for you sure no

65:22

I mean and that's part of what's so

65:24

confusing in this moment as as we speak

65:26

to what's happening on campus it doesn't

65:28

necessarily reflect that these are all

65:31

students or or all people affiliated

65:33

with the campus even at all Stephanie

65:36

are they haven't any success in getting

65:38

folks dispersed it looks like they are

65:40

but do you have a better Vantage

65:42

Point yeah Bob and you know you know

65:45

that's a yes and a no answer you know I

65:47

can't there's obviously a lot of people

65:49

spread out across the area at this point

65:51

and officers of police and law

65:52

enforcements is trying to make sure they

65:54

keep a steady line so people don't cross

65:57

into um you know the union south of the

65:59

oval the South oval area um it looks

66:02

like people are starting to leave slowly

66:05

but surely I've seen a few um you know

66:07

trickle out but again it seems like

66:09

people are just kind of standing here

66:11

and I don't really know at this point

66:13

what they're waiting for um I did I

66:16

actually just kind of saw Ramone walking

66:18

by across the street and it looks like

66:20

he's trying to you know get others to

66:23

help him communicate cuz I heard him say

66:25

it multiple times just everybody oh

66:27

there he is maybe we can go catch him

66:28

real quick give me a second and she is

66:30

speaking to Ramon obey a local social

66:33

justice leader connected to the Justice

66:36

unity and social transformation movement

66:39

and that's who has been serving as a bit

66:42

of an organizer for this effort on

66:44

campus today and Stephanie de has spoken

66:46

with him multiple times and looking to

66:49

connect with him right now about what's

66:52

happening in the goals of this hour

66:53

there's no other reason to be

66:57

here so what we are recommending as

67:00

organizers of the event to go

67:04

home it's the best thing that you can

67:07

do do not empty our bail fund because

67:11

you just want to be here for the moment

67:14

if we're not doing something in terms of

67:16

collective action it's not worth

67:20

it it's that simple I know some of

67:23

y'all's friends got arrested some some

67:25

of your loved ones got arrested but just

67:27

standing around is not going to change

67:29

that the best thing you can do is go

67:32

home in this

67:34

moment send that information to the bail

67:36

fund so we can bail them

67:37

[Music]

67:41

out it sounds like Veron have you had

67:43

any you know block trying to get people

67:45

that message across are people trying

67:47

you know trying to disperse what are you

67:48

seeing we've been trying to follow you

67:50

people are dispersing but the police

67:51

officers here have been ever aggressive

67:53

they have been following the people as

67:54

they have been dispersing uh and causing

67:57

more pain as they have stepped over

67:59

people destroyed the camp again and

68:01

again we're seeing officers be

68:02

ruthlessly aggressive towards people who

68:04

are just peacefully protesting and

68:06

Gathering here at OSU and it makes

68:08

absolutely no sense we're trying to see

68:10

if people are you know listening to you

68:12

and trying to get that message across

68:13

but why do you think folks are not

68:16

leaving cuz Palestine ain't

68:18

free and sometimes it's that

68:21

simple when you are an oppressed people

68:23

you going to stay in fight

68:26

and sometimes it hits that nice high

68:28

point where you just ain't going to

68:30

leave and you just ain't going to take

68:31

it no more and these some people who

68:32

ain't going to take it no more this is

68:34

people that's Fed Up This is a community

68:36

that's fed up we're tired of seeing this

68:38

we're tired of of being around these

68:39

police officers that are ever aggressive

68:42

and it makes absolutely no

68:45

sense and at this point in the night I I

68:48

guess you know what else are you going

68:49

to do now you're going to walk around to

68:50

each crowd I guess you know what what

68:52

are you going to do just as someone you

68:53

know we've been following you for years

68:56

now and we watch you when you show up to

68:58

these events and to be honest with you

69:00

this is not the first time that I have

69:01

seen you with a line of police behind

69:05

you when you were trying to help you

69:07

know i' I heard you in many different

69:08

facets tonight with protesters and

69:10

saying hey you know let's do this let's

69:12

calmly do this so you know what is next

69:14

for you tonight when it comes to talking

69:16

to complete strangers um and as we watch

69:19

you know the night progress my goal is

69:21

safety I want all my people to go home

69:24

and be safe that's always my number one

69:26

goal when we come out here we have the

69:28

right to peacefully assemble we have the

69:30

right to protest we have the right to

69:32

take up space but somehow some way these

69:35

officers seem to always be more

69:36

aggressive than they really need to be

69:39

which puts me in the position of going

69:40

around and telling folks that look look

69:43

we came together we did something

69:45

amazing we did something collectively

69:47

but it's time for us to leave so safety

69:49

is on my mind right now and just making

69:51

sure that people get home safe that's my

69:53

number one goal absolutely thank you

69:55

rone we appreciate

69:57

it again as you just heard from Ramone

70:00

you know he's going to walk around to

70:01

folks and and and talk to them about not

70:04

only what has happened tonight but what

70:07

he needs to do them in do in this moment

70:10

um again safety being that top priority

70:12

Bob and stacea do you have a second to

70:14

chime in here with me absolutely

70:16

Stephanie Dee live there speaking with

70:18

Ramone Obe who is a local social justice

70:21

leader and organizing one of the

70:24

organizers of today's tonight's protest

70:27

because there have been protests

70:28

throughout the day in this space there

70:31

next to the Ohio Union but it seems in

70:34

that 5:00 call for folks to gather

70:38

things really started to intensify and

70:41

by 10:00 tonight that's when we saw

70:44

Troopers move in in a coordinated effort

70:47

to disperse this crowd and so you are

70:49

looking at the dispersed crowd who they

70:52

have not left the area but they have

70:54

definitely left that green space area

70:57

that we saw next to the union this was a

70:59

much denser crowd uh even as little as

71:03

half an hour ago on the south oval it

71:06

was a large ring for the most part to

71:08

multiple uh layers deep in the middle of

71:11

which was a group of green tents that we

71:14

were told contained folks who were

71:16

praying and then the law enforcers moved

71:18

in and told the folks that they had to

71:20

go home uh and told them that they were

71:23

trespassing criminal trespassing in fact

71:25

and began to break up the crowd it it

71:27

actually took Ramone getting involved

71:29

here uh about a half an hour ago

71:31

imploring demonstrators to go home

71:34

before we actually saw some widespread

71:35

movement most of the folks moving to

71:37

warts College Avenue again right now

71:39

they are on the south west corner of or

71:44

Southeast Corner excuse me of College

71:45

Road and West 12th right by the Ohio

71:48

Union there the long line of police have

71:50

managed to get folks pretty much at

71:52

least the dense part of the the the

71:54

demonstration

71:55

dispersed they are still collected in

71:57

the area Loosely but there's a long line

71:59

of law enforcements right now keeping an

72:01

eye on folks making sure that they stay

72:03

on College Road and the West 12th area

72:06

but uh still many many uh remaining on

72:09

the scene at OSU here at 11:15 again

72:12

growing tensions throughout the day here

72:15

on Ohio State's campus but there have

72:17

been growing tensions across the country

72:20

at University campuses just like this

72:23

from coast to coast so you were looking

72:25

at the line of

72:27

officers from let's see that appears to

72:30

be it's hard to see who which university

72:34

which agencies yes Stephanie if you

72:36

would take us oh we before we go to you

72:39

Stephanie we want to go back to retired

72:43

Delaware County Sheriff Russ Martin

72:45

joining us on the phone now Russ at this

72:48

point when you see how the crowd has

72:51

mostly dispersed what is the goal of law

72:54

enforcement at this hour to to keep

72:57

things calmer as we see right

73:01

now well I I think that you're looking

73:04

at uh multiple open roadways and egress

73:08

obviously they'd like to see the crowd

73:09

now move on uh for the evening and uh

73:13

they've got the same concerns probably

73:15

they've had all day and that's you know

73:17

again making sure that people are in

73:19

compliance with the law that they're uh

73:21

complying with uh legal orders from law

73:24

enforce ment uh and request and uh you

73:28

know they'll probably uh stay there as

73:30

long as they need to but uh honestly uh

73:33

in about an hour's time I I think that

73:36

was a could have been a potentially much

73:38

more tense situation it looks like they

73:40

were uh well coordinated and well

73:42

trained and uh I'm sure people will be

73:45

afforded uh other opportunities for free

73:47

speech uh in that same area as um the

73:51

day unfolds tomorrow so it sounds like

73:53

that uh they were

73:55

probably just making sure that the uh

73:57

trespassing was uh

74:00

enforced well Russ there is a group and

74:02

you may be able to see this on your TV

74:03

there is a group still gathered there by

74:05

the buildings and the LA line of law

74:07

enforcers now moving toward

74:09

them looks like they're going to try and

74:11

get this group to move uh and again I I

74:15

I I'm only being presumptuous and uh you

74:18

know want to be very cautious you know

74:20

I'm sure that there were uh you know a

74:23

lot of uh pre-planning prior to this a

74:26

lot of discussions and uh you know now

74:28

you want to make sure there's no uh

74:30

vandalism uh you know as people leave

74:33

and there could always be a handful of

74:34

folks in the crowd that have uh ill

74:37

intent so law enforcement's probably

74:38

going to be concerned about protecting

74:40

uh property and other people as well so

74:42

you know those continue to do their job

74:44

as they've been trained to do now do

74:46

they stay on site throughout the night

74:48

is that protocol here or is it just a

74:51

caseby case basis well I I think you

74:55

know there are uh obviously leadership

74:57

is uh you know talking continuously

75:00

among themselves again it's a very

75:01

coordinated effort among several law

75:03

enforcement agencies and uh you know

75:05

they'll be making an assessment as time

75:07

goes on but uh anything I would say to

75:09

that would just be

75:11

presumptuous how much training do these

75:13

law enforcers receive as far as

75:15

deescalation is concerned well I think

75:18

uh in in recent years what we've seen

75:21

since uh 2020 there's been uh greater

75:25

efforts to uh train in this specifically

75:28

and I can't speak for these individual

75:30

agencies you know I've talked to them

75:33

uh periodically and I know it's a focus

75:36

of training you know these coordinated

75:38

effort so you know I think good

75:40

professional law enforcement agencies

75:41

are constantly evaluating uh what's been

75:43

done historically what's been successful

75:45

and what's not and um you know so this

75:48

training has has been ongoing and

75:50

honestly as an observer just from TV

75:53

these folks look like they've been

75:54

trained well and have done a good job

75:56

tonight retired Sheriff of Delaware

75:58

County Russ Martin joining us with

75:59

perspective on the law enforcement

76:02

protocol that we are seeing in action

76:05

tonight and our Stephanie depre there

76:08

and following how things are unfolding

76:10

at this hour Stephanie appears that

76:12

everyone including law enforcement

76:14

everyone's still on the

76:16

Move yeah s actually just two seconds

76:19

ago we were caught up behind police and

76:21

it took us a second to actually get back

76:23

in front of them cuz for a second they

76:24

wouldn't let us do that um I really

76:26

wasn't sure why but we finally made it

76:29

back in front of them and it seems like

76:31

they're trying to again push the crowd

76:33

even further uh Down College Road again

76:36

I'm not really sure where the end result

76:38

is supposed to be they're just trying to

76:39

get people I don't know off property

76:42

somehow is what I keep hearing is they

76:43

want people off property um so again

76:46

this line of officers as we were trying

76:48

to show earlier they're going to start

76:50

moving again so we're probably going to

76:51

move with them again folks are being

76:55

pushed further this way it seems like

76:57

people are moving you know at this point

76:59

they don't really have a choice you know

77:01

officers are kind of crowd control at

77:04

this point you know I I you know that's

77:06

that's what we're seeing that is exactly

77:07

what's happening right now and we're

77:08

going to walk with them Ramone I can see

77:10

is to the left of me and he is also

77:13

telling people you know let's go let's

77:15

keep it

77:19

moving we're trying to hear how they're

77:21

addressing the

77:23

crowd we are asking you to

77:27

disperse there's nothing that can be won

77:30

within this moment but arrest all right

77:33

go home organizers are asking you all to

77:36

please leave now please go to your cars

77:39

go to your dorms leave now I was like

77:42

ohmer student that's okay it's okay

77:45

again those are organizers of what um

77:48

you know this protest tonight telling

77:50

people to just leave to just go home at

77:53

this point some are listening some

77:55

aren't you know we're kind of walking

77:56

with the crowd as this happens and again

77:58

as we said earlier it's a mix of folks I

78:00

can't tell you who's a student and who's

78:02

not but I can tell you definitively that

78:04

it is a mix of people here tonight you

78:07

can hear them say give that warning

78:10

again proceed to College Avenue South on

78:14

College Avenue to 12th Avenue East on

78:17

12th Avenue to South on College Avenue

78:20

is what they're telling people or where

78:22

they're telling people to go if not back

78:25

to their dorms back to their cars or

78:27

back

78:28

home it is again it is uh almost you

78:32

know it's 11:20 we're 20 minutes into

78:33

our 11:00 show you know we have been out

78:35

here um for several hours throughout the

78:38

course of the day you know kind of

78:39

watching everything unfold from you know

78:41

these folks set up the that Circle at 4

78:43

a.m. this morning so that Circle that we

78:46

have shown you throughout the course of

78:47

the day and into the night they set that

78:49

up at 4:00 a.m. and that's how it's been

78:51

of course until you watched everything

78:53

unfold right in front of your eyes as

78:55

we've been carrying this live uh for

78:57

almost an hour and a half now here on

78:59

Fox 28 and ABC

79:02

6 Stephanie to pray live for us there on

79:05

campus and if you are just now joining

79:08

us we want to recap what has been

79:09

happening just in the last couple of

79:11

hours so we have been following the

79:13

situation of protesters gathering on

79:16

Ohio State's campus again as Stephanie

79:18

said a mix of some students some

79:21

community members we spoke with an

79:23

instructor who was there who was as we

79:26

heard later on taken into custody and

79:29

we've been following the situation as

79:31

law enforcement have arrived to disperse

79:33

the crowd now law enforcement has had a

79:35

presence there throughout the day but at

79:38

10:00 things really took a turn and this

79:40

is after several warnings we heard

79:42

warnings issued to the crowd of

79:44

protesters at approximately 7:30 for a

79:48

7:45 deadline to move out of the area to

79:51

clear out of the area that did not

79:53

happen another deadline was given and

79:56

again that did not happen so at 10:00 we

79:59

watched as law enforcement moved in

80:01

specifically Troopers who moved in

80:03

specifically to disperse this crowd and

80:06

we've been following live what's

80:09

happening there as we've been giving you

80:11

different Vantage points there of the

80:15

just the unfolding efforts there on

80:17

campus yeah shortly uh so they moved in

80:20

right at 10 o'clock as you pointed out

80:22

and there was a real standoff for the

80:23

first t 45 minutes anyways maybe even

80:26

longer than that uh close to an hour

80:29

nobody really going anywhere nobody

80:31

moving there were uh folks being

80:33

arrested hauled out of what was a giant

80:35

circle of multiple uh individuals deep

80:38

so four or five people deep all the way

80:41

around and in the middle of that was a

80:43

collection of green tents uh we were

80:45

told there were folks in there praying

80:48

and maybe a half an hour into the law

80:51

enforcement moving in on the crowd they

80:53

started to make arrest started to move

80:55

people then got into the middle of that

80:57

took the tents down and as you may have

80:59

seen a moment ago on the live camera a

81:01

lot of trash Left Behind they hauled

81:04

that all dispersed they hauled some

81:06

folks out made arrests we counted about

81:08

a dozen of those from our vantage point

81:10

there may have been more and then one of

81:12

the activists Ramon obey started to uh

81:15

tell folks go home disperse and that

81:17

actually seemed to be pretty effective

81:18

station so as we're watching this they

81:21

continue to disperse the crowd but as

81:23

you can see the crowd has not left the

81:26

area and they've been telling them to

81:28

move specifically down towards college

81:31

and they're moving them beyond that

81:33

space as well so they are no longer in

81:35

the vicinity of the Ohio Union but as

81:37

you can see still a heavy law

81:39

enforcement Presence at this hour and

81:41

it's been difficult to see which

81:42

agencies are involved in this we know

81:44

for sure Troopers are involved in this

81:47

so the Ohio State Highway Patrol has a

81:49

large presence and then we've seen

81:51

several uniforms saying police but

81:53

difficult to see from our Vantage points

81:55

which patches might be on their

81:57

shoulders so we're not sure if it's Ohio

81:59

state police involved as well as

82:00

Columbus Police and we've not received

82:03

any statements from either of those

82:04

organizations indicating their

82:06

intentions for this evening but we did

82:09

receive a statement from Ohio State

82:11

within the last hour we heard from

82:14

Benjamin Johnson a spokesperson with the

82:16

university telling us wellestablished

82:18

University rules prohibit camping and

82:20

overnight events demonstrators exercised

82:23

their first amendment rights for several

82:25

hours and were then instructed to

82:26

disperse individuals who refused to

82:29

leave after multiple warnings were

82:30

arrested and charged with criminal

82:33

trespass so that's where we're at at

82:34

this hour as they continue to disperse

82:36

this crowd yeah this scene at the

82:38

southeast corner of the South oval right

82:41

by the Ohio Union here uh we're looking

82:44

at College Road in the foreground we're

82:46

trying to get folks to move to College

82:48

Road then South on College Road uh to

82:51

West 12 then East along West 12

82:53

presumably out to high Street and then

82:55

to disperse to just go home go back at

82:57

their dorms go back to their cars as we

82:58

heard Ramone tell them a few moments ago

83:00

but there are still folks lingering

83:02

around number of which we don't really

83:03

have a handle on at this point but there

83:05

are still groups and and individuals uh

83:08

lingering at the scene here and the

83:11

large law enforcement presence continues

83:12

to stand uh AB breast along a college

83:16

road right now trying to encourage

83:17

people to just call it a night so again

83:20

we heard from protesters their goal in

83:23

the beginning was to get the university

83:25

to stop doing business with companies

83:27

they say support Israel's war that's

83:30

what they said their goal was as the day

83:32

progressed that message as they worked

83:34

to get it across they were also talking

83:37

about their focus being to pray and

83:40

that's what they said the crowd said

83:42

they were protecting the folks at the

83:44

center of that so that they could pray

83:47

and that's what we heard from protesters

83:49

throughout the last hour and a half yeah

83:52

protesters noting that the world is

83:54

watching us college campuses right now

83:57

they're watching in Israel they're

83:58

watching in Gaza right now U some of the

84:03

protesters we talked to decrying what

84:04

they call an overreaction by law

84:06

enforcers breaking up this peaceful

84:08

protest and pointing the finger at the

84:10

administration at OSU as well for moving

84:12

in and what they feel was a heavy-handed

84:14

response to what was a peaceful protest

84:17

um so far we have not seen any uh

84:21

widespread disruption certainly no

84:23

looting or vandalism as a result of this

84:25

large gathering tonight and it's a

84:27

subsequent breakup and we did hear from

84:29

the University president Ted Carter

84:31

earlier this week in a strongly worded

84:33

statement after some protesting happened

84:36

inside the Union at the end of last week

84:38

and he issued a statement saying when

84:41

protected speech becomes incitement or

84:43

threats of violence Ohio state has and

84:45

will always move quickly to enforce the

84:47

law and University policy I will not

84:51

compromise on this we heard that from

84:53

univers City president Ted Carter

84:56

earlier this week again a live look at

84:59

this hour on Ohio State's campus as law

85:02

enforcement work to disperse protesters

85:04

who had gathered there outside the Ohio

85:08

Union and Stephanie de pre we have not

85:11

heard from her in just a few minutes cuz

85:13

things had been moving quickly we want

85:16

to plug back in with Stephanie who's

85:18

been there for hours now following

85:21

what's happening there on site Stephanie

85:23

where are you what are you seeing and

85:25

what is the vibe at this

85:28

hour yes so we want to plug back in here

85:31

and I have a few things that I want to

85:32

touch base on and talk about we're kind

85:34

of going down the line here uh with law

85:36

enforcement so just to kind of give you

85:38

that perspective we do have you know

85:40

Columbus um police we're here we have

85:42

Ohio State uh Highway Patrol we do have

85:46

oh did did you try to chime in there I'm

85:48

sorry I thought I heard you try to ask

85:49

me something um I'm going to continue to

85:51

talk I'm sorry um so again uh Columbus

85:53

Police State um Highway Patrol we do

85:56

have um the sheriff's office here as

85:59

well um so again a line of officers just

86:02

kind of making sure the crowd stays at

86:03

Bay and that's exactly kind of what's

86:05

happening at this point there is really

86:07

not that many people um out here like

86:10

there was literally two minutes ago so

86:13

people are taking that word of caution

86:15

word of advice from the folks um who

86:17

were leading this protest and telling

86:20

them to go home and that's what we're

86:21

seeing now now I want to also mention I

86:23

have also been in communication just to

86:25

kind of wrap up some things here cuz we

86:26

heard a lot um from a lot of different

86:28

people tonight of course emotions very

86:30

high um as we saw some things happen

86:32

again right in front of your eyes um I

86:34

do want to um kind of just backtrack

86:36

here I have been speaking to leaders

86:38

here at the University um I believe at

86:40

one point um a protester did tell us on

86:43

camera that they were seeing people

86:45

being tased I'm being told by the

86:47

university that that is not true so I

86:49

wanted to kind of backtrack there and

86:51

let um let you know that that um they're

86:53

saying there are no no reports of that

86:55

um at this moment so that's kind of what

86:58

we're working with now we're going to

87:00

zoom in here if we can zoom in on that

87:02

bus we're going to try to zoom in here

87:04

and see you know officers are collecting

87:06

in groups at this point um so we're

87:08

going to try to zoom in here and see if

87:11

people who were put in cuffs are maybe

87:14

in that bus I honestly can't tell you

87:16

where those people were taken there was

87:18

a lot happening in those moments so as

87:20

we were watching people um being put in

87:23

cuffs I don't know where they were being

87:25

taken um we're trying it is dark we're

87:27

trying to zoom in on that bus I don't

87:29

know if they're in there or not um again

87:32

there's a lot of law enforcement out

87:34

here but you know I have not been abl to

87:37

I have not been able excuse me to link

87:38

up with somebody directly um with law

87:41

enforcement that can speak actively to

87:43

the media at this point so you know

87:46

we've been touch and go um you know with

87:48

you know you guys back in studio and

87:50

trying to you know get a hold of leaders

87:52

here um so of course I'm we're still

87:54

trying to to narrow some things down but

87:57

again when it comes to those folks um

87:59

who were arrested I can't tell you where

88:02

uh they were but again you know we've

88:03

been out here for the the the course of

88:04

the night people are starting to leave

88:07

there's still a chopper in the air um so

88:09

we'll be out here for the rest of the

88:10

night and you know people are leaving so

88:13

we'll make sure we keep tabs with you on

88:14

air and online live um on campus tonight

88:18

I'm Stephanie depre ABC 6 News Bob and

88:20

staa I'm going to toss it back to you um

88:22

right now all right Stephanie thank you

88:24

than you so much again you have been

88:25

watching live as protesters gather and

88:28

then were dispersed by law enforcement

88:31

there on site outside of the Union

88:33

several arrests made live right here

88:36

we're going to switch things over here

88:37

now continue our live coverage from

88:39

campus over on our sister station ABC 6

88:42

where the NFL draft has been underway

88:44

we're going to break in now to continue

88:45

this tense situation and our coverage

88:47

thereof over at the Ohio state union we

88:50

hope you'll stay with us

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Protest CoverageLaw EnforcementOSU CampusPeaceful AssemblyPolice ResponseCampus ProtestFirst AmendmentCommunity ReactionArrest ActionsLive Event
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