Green Party Candidate Jill Stein Arrested at WashU Protest, Faces Assault Charges
Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein was arrested Saturday at Washington University in St. Louis during a pro-Palestinian protest, her campaign said. Stein, 73, was among over 100 protesters detained, including 23 students and four university employees.
Stein was booked on charges of assaulting a police officer, according to her interview with NewsNation.
“I wiggled out of that assault, and was told by the officer that I was assaulting him, which is absolutely ludicrous,” she said.
Stein claimed police used excessive force, ramming bike handles into protesters’ chests. She said she may have suffered a rib fracture and planned to visit the ER.
The protest called for WashU to divest from Boeing, boycott Israeli academic institutions, and meet other demands. Stein’s campaign manager Jason Call and deputy campaign manager Kelly Merrill-Cayer were also arrested.
University Responds, Defends Actions
WashU officials said the protesters entered campus “with the intention of causing significant disruption” and had to be removed when they violated policy by setting up an encampment.
Those arrested face trespassing charges, with some also charged with resisting arrest and assault.
“It quickly became clear through the words and actions of this group that they did not have good intentions on our campus and that this demonstration had the potential to get out of control and become dangerous,” a university statement said.
Stein Condemns “Militarization of Police”
Stein praised the student protesters for “risking their futures” to demand divestment from weapons companies.
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She condemned the police response as “the militarization of our police” trained in “anti-humane and abusive tactics” alongside Israeli forces.
The former physician urged President Biden to “end the genocide in Gaza and the occupation” by asserting his authority rather than enabling further violence.
Stein previously faced protests at Columbia University from Jewish groups criticizing her stance on Israel.
Protests Spread to Other Campuses
The WashU demonstration was part of a wave of pro-Palestinian protests at U.S. colleges in solidarity with Columbia students, over 100 of whom were arrested last week. Jewish students argue some protests have veered into antisemitism, which organizers deny.
Stein, who also ran for president in 2012 and 2016, is collecting signatures to get on the ballot for 2024. She has long supported the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
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