Following actions on college campuses across the country, Hamline students have begun an occupation of their own in protest of Israel’s occupation of Gaza by sitting in the university president’s office in Old Main beginning around 1:15 p.m. on Friday, April 26. At 2:00 p.m., the administration ordered for the Old Main building to be closed, and no one has been able to enter or exit the building aside from Hamline Public Safety (HPS) and staff members who have offices inside.
A small group of protestors are gathered on the steps of Old Main and have read the demands of the occupation out loud along with chanting. While the internal occupation continues, the outside protest has ended.
Protesters’ demands are currently: to speak to the president or a representative of the president or a member of the board; for the administration to make their investments public (and if they have investments in companies supporting Israel to divest from them); and for the president to make a statement condemning Israel’s occupation of Gaza.

HPS officers are stationed at all doors aside from the front door, which is locked to traffic in or out. The officers have delivered supplies inside provided by the external protesters such as water, gatorade and snacks to the students occupying the building. There are a limited number of Public Safety officers who are available to assist around campus, keep the building shut down and deliver items to the protesters, and that has affected the timeliness of these deliveries.
Director of Public Safety and Security Illiana Cantu Delgado has expressed that she does not want to involve the police, and is only concerned about the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved.
“We’re not here to police people,” Delgado said. “[The aim of HPS is to] support and observe and help. My gauge of security is holistic. I do not believe in policing people.”
Administrators who work in the building have been able to leave intermittently or continued to work while the occupation happens. Irina Makarevitch, the Associate Provost of Accreditation and Compliance, is one of the administrators who is frustrated by the occupation’s effect on the workflow of Old Main, as her students who need to pick up posters for the Academic Research Symposium are not being granted access to the building.
“I’m doing my best,” Delgado said. “Please understand that. I know how you feel.”
As of now, the protestors have stated that they will not be leaving Old Main until their demands are met, but they have not been asked to leave the building yet. One of the protesters who was originally inside does not believe that the police will be called, however they do not see the protest ending without change being made.
“There are five students locked inside Old Main. They are refusing to leave until our demands are met. Those demands are: disclose, divest and a President statement condemning Israel and in support of Palestine,” senior Genavieve Billiet said.
The building officially closes for the weekend at 6:00 p.m.