Mere minutes into Thursday afternoon’s board of regents meeting at the University of Michigan, a group of protesters affiliated with the group BAMN (“By Any Means Necessary”) stormed past barricades, upended tables and rushed the regents themselves. Eight were reported arrested, only one of whom was a University of Michigan student.
BAMN describes itself on its website as a movement “fighting to defend public education, to defeat budget cuts for education, to defend public jobs and public services, to win college financial aid and citizenship for undocumented immigrant students, and to make every school, college, city, municipality and state a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants,” among other goals.
Protesters screaming at police outside meeting pic.twitter.com/ViHlGPCc8l
— David Jesse (@reporterdavidj) April 16, 2015
#UmichRegents screams of "minority enrollment's been going down, open it up or we'll shut it down" heard from outside
— Allana Akhtar (@allanaakh) April 16, 2015
Protesters want more minority admissions. This is second time they've disruiptued meetings this year
— David Jesse (@reporterdavidj) April 16, 2015
The BAMN members are screaming, "Onsite admissions now, open up or we'll shut it down."
— Michael Sugerman (@michaelsugs) April 16, 2015
At least 15 umich police standing in hallway blocking access to meeting, including one who is videoing
— David Jesse (@reporterdavidj) April 16, 2015
Protesters waited for meeting to start and then charged from about four rows back. Went right through media table and towards administrator
— David Jesse (@reporterdavidj) April 16, 2015
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Here's the rush of protesters over the tables pic.twitter.com/bNL3MCikkz
— David Jesse (@reporterdavidj) April 16, 2015
Protestors arrested at umich events meeting pic.twitter.com/XXKvBnkU6J
— David Jesse (@reporterdavidj) April 16, 2015
@reporterdavidj Now what exactly is being proven with this type of stupidity?
— Eric Brown (@EricBrown1911) April 16, 2015
Group of at least 15 people violently stormed through a barricade of tables. At least 5 arrests made. Regents still at their tables.
— Jeremy Allen (@JeremyAllenA2) April 16, 2015
Tables were shoved pic.twitter.com/s2HIMmrckj
— David Jesse (@reporterdavidj) April 16, 2015
Police were ready when protesters rushed pic.twitter.com/MmIy4wMAZR
— David Jesse (@reporterdavidj) April 16, 2015
Some members of BAMN have been taken to the floor by police officers at the #umichregents meeting
— Michael Sugerman (@michaelsugs) April 16, 2015
Police were ready when protesters rushed pic.twitter.com/MmIy4wMAZR
— David Jesse (@reporterdavidj) April 16, 2015
#UmichRegents pic.twitter.com/smZqad3cfS
— Allana Akhtar (@allanaakh) April 16, 2015
Someone just yelled, "I can't breathe."
— Michael Sugerman (@michaelsugs) April 16, 2015
The media table was breached, sounds like glass broke. Everyone has either left the meeting voluntarily or has been taken out by the police.
— Michael Sugerman (@michaelsugs) April 16, 2015
All BAMN protesters have left the meeting, unsure if meeting will resume #UmichRegents pic.twitter.com/jE2Vve7Lu2
— Allana Akhtar (@allanaakh) April 16, 2015
https://twitter.com/HumGen/status/588788694334763009
Meeting is resuming now. That was really intense. BAMN protestors still yelling, "Open it up or we'll shut it down."
— Michael Sugerman (@michaelsugs) April 16, 2015
https://twitter.com/wrgree/status/588790640655409152
(1) Protesters are still going strong outside this meeting. One called it "the epitome of entitlement" to talk about construction projects
— Michael Sugerman (@michaelsugs) April 16, 2015
(2) As opposed to dealing with the issues people are "begging" to discuss, like minority enrollment and rape #umichregents
— Michael Sugerman (@michaelsugs) April 16, 2015
Regent Mark Bernstein says he is "deeply disappointed" by the protesters today — was not "collaborative and thoughtful" #umichregents
— Michael Sugerman (@michaelsugs) April 16, 2015
Regent @MGoBernstein says he's disappointed in the way the BAMN protestors spoke out. "These..tactics do a great disservice," he said.
— Jeremy Allen (@JeremyAllenA2) April 16, 2015
Really #BANM?! Protestors shut down UMich Regents Mtg. The bad press for UMich is unending recently. http://t.co/d6Gcq0fQnE via @freep
— andrea (@AndreaSMcCann) April 16, 2015
Speaking of bad press, the university’s president addressed the well-publicized cancellation of an “American Sniper” screening on campus because it “made students feel unsafe.”
President @DrMarkSchlissel takes a moment to address #AmericanSniper campus showing #UMichRegents
— UM Public Affairs (@UMPublicAffairs) April 16, 2015
Schlissel says the cancellation "was a mistake," freedom of expression must be a fundamental experience at University #UmichRegents
— Allana Akhtar (@allanaakh) April 16, 2015
http://twitter.com/HumGen/status/588789947303272448
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