University Police (CPPD) and San Luis Obispo Police (SLOPD) officers arrested eight people for reportedly trying to break into the university’s winter career fair during a planned protest in support of Palestinian citizens around noon.
The “majority” of those arrested were not Cal Poly students, according to a message from President Armstrong, sent to the Cal Poly community late Tuesday afternoon.
Three of the eight arrested are Cal Poly students. A student who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation from the university said six of the eight arrested are students from Cal Poly and Cuesta College – some with up to $50,000 in bail.
Gathered outside of the Rec Center, a group protested the presence of defense and missile companies such as Lockheed Martin and General Atomics — who have supplied Israel with weapons, according to the Lockheed Martin website — recruiting Cal Poly students.
“They are recruiting Cal Poly students who are really bright and amazing students and making that, using that, to fuel the violence in Gaza right now,” the student said.
More than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed nearly 1,200 Israeli civilians, news outlets report.
At one point, protesters started using large wooden shields to push through the barricades. According to university spokesperson Matt Lazier, CPPD called SLOPD for backup after protesters entered the Rec Center.
Videos from the event showed multiple officers throwing protestors to the ground and several people screaming.
One video showed a SLOPD officer throw a protester on the ground and repeatedly strike him. Deputy Chief Brian Amoroso said in a press release that the officer was “forced to protect himself” because the protesters tried to take his weapon.
The protester’s back was turned when the officer threw him to the ground.
“I just feel like it was not warranted, the level of the police response,” the student said. “The way they’re [police] putting knees on people’s necks and I saw at one point they’re punching people that were already on the ground.”
Students trying to enter the Rec Center were told to enter through a ramp next to Shake Smart, as the front entrance was barricaded. Students in the Rec Center could repeatedly hear chanting from outside the building.
At 1:16 p.m., a line of students stood outside the Kinesiology Building for the career fair. Meanwhile, police officers remained on the scene and barricades were still up, although the crowd had dispersed.
Police blocked off the sidewalk next to the Rec Center Climbing Park and directed students to cross the intersection at South Perimeter Road.
At least three motorcycles and two police vehicles were seen leaving California Boulevard and Campus Way at 1:22 p.m.
Four university police officers were on-site outside the career fair — university spokesperson Matt Lazier said they were “notified” of the planned protest the week before — and two more officers were called in after the confrontation turned physical.
University policy “strongly encourages” groups organizing marches and demonstrations to notify CPPD at least 24 hours in advance.
Lazier did not provide any identification of the CPPD officers at the time of publication.
It’s unclear how many San Luis Obispo Police Department officers were present.
President Jeffrey Armstrong wrote in a campus-wide email Tuesday evening that the protest made him “angry and sad.”
“We are a public campus, and we support the rights of all campus community members and visitors to speak their minds — but we will not tolerate violence, disruption, trespassing, or other criminal activity,” Armstrong wrote.
According to Armstrong’s email, several officers and protestors sustained “minor injuries,” but none required medical attention. Meanwhile, Armstrong noted that protesters declined medical treatment.
In closing his email, Armstrong thanked CPPD and SLOPD for “maintain[ing] a safe campus community for all.”
Editors Note: This story was updated on Jan.23 at 10:47 p.m. to clarify that one confirmed person arrested attends Cuesta College.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Jan.23 at 10:59 p.m. to provide missing hyperlinks.