BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Over 200 University at Buffalo faculty have sent a letter to UB President Dr. Satish K. Tripathi criticizing his administration's handling of the protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza at the university's North Campus on May 1.
In the letter, the faculty said in part: "The rules about student protests were being updated in real time on the day of the protest, appearing discriminatory and making it difficult for even the most informed students to comply. For a small crowd of fifty protestors, the University called in law enforcement from State, County, and multiple local jurisdictions. Police cars lined the Flint loop and officers nearly outnumbered protestors. In making this decision, the University demonstrated its intolerance towards free expression and flagrant disregard for student safety."
15 people were arrested after the protest. According to UB, individuals with no known affiliation with the university allegedly led the effort to set up an encampment and made up a large portion of the protesters. The university said of the 15 people arrested, eight are believed to be unaffiliated with the university and seven are UB students.
WATCH: 15 arrests made after pro-Palestine protest at University at Buffalo's North Campus
The faculty also called on the university to drop all charges against the demonstrators and urged a public review of the policies and protocols of UB police.
7 News has reached out to UB for a statement, we received the following response:
"This afternoon, the university received the letter and is reviewing it."
