A GoFundMe has been set up in support of the five student protesters arrested last Friday for trespassing, after they stayed in the Hannah Administration Building past closing time as part of a sit-in.
The GoFundMe, which has exceeded its $1,500 goal by raising $1,780 at the time of publication, was organized by international relations senior Isabella Tillotson.
According to the GoFundMe, all five students face misdemeanor charges, 30 days in jail and a $250 fine.
"The students were engaged in an act of civil disobedience which is a crucial aspect of American democracy and an important component of many social justice movements," Tillotson wrote in the GoFundMe. "The intent of the action was entirely peaceful and nonviolent: they were arrested while linking arms and singing."
After the Board of Trustees meeting on Oct. 25, students organized a sit-in inside the lobby of the Office of the President, reiterating their demands for the university to reconsider its position on divestment from Israel.
MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant told The State News that protesters were given "multiple notices" about the building’s closing time throughout the day as they sat in the lobby of the president's office. The office closed at 5 p.m., and the building closed an hour later.
When protestors refused to leave the building after posted hours, they were arrested by MSU police. They were issued misdemeanor appearance citations and released from custody the same evening.
Tillotson said she created the GoFundMe to help the students pay any legal fees.
"A lot of my friends were arrested, so I just wanted to make sure that they had resources available to combat any legal response," Tillotson told The State News.
If the charges are dropped, Tillotson said GoFundMe offers a refund option to everyone who has donated.
There are other ways to help, Tillotson said, like spreading awareness about the arrests. Tillotson said it is important that students also reach out to the prosecutor's office to ask for the charges to be dropped.
"People need to start thinking about this situation to a further extent," Tillotson said, "rather than 'these people got arrested, and I want to help them,' think like, 'these people got arrested for an institution that I support and attend.'"
Comparative cultures and politics senior Jesse Estrada White, one of the protesters who was arrested, said he and other protesters have received their arraignment dates for court.
"We see the potential of having to pay fines, but it’s also like paying lawyers," Estrada White said.
He said those who want to support the protestors can call Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane to ask for the charges to be dropped.
"A university, the state of Michigan and Ingham County shouldn’t be charging protesters with crimes," Estrada White said. "They should be and acting on our demands."
Another arrested protestor, social relations and policy junior Eli Folts, said he and the other protesters are getting representation from the National Lawyers Guild. The GoFundMe is "mostly just (for) being prepared," he said.
"The lack of preparation and having to pay out of pocket right away would be very stressful considering we’re still students," Folts said.
Despite the circumstances, the students say they are not done advocating for divestment.
"Ultimately, as students, we pay to go here," Folts said. "We are stakeholders of the university, and we should be considered as such. If (President Kevin Guskiewicz) is going to ignore us, we’re going to keep pushing for a conversation with the trustees and the president on divestment."
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