CINCINNATI — Julia Lankisch and Sophia Dempsey appeared before a judge Monday after being arrested for protesting outside of Xavier University's commencement Saturday.
Lankisch and Dempsey were charged with felony conspiracy while wearing a disguise because they wore face masks while protesting. They were also charged with misdemeanor trespassing because they were not protesting in a designated area on campus.
The judge ordered both to stay away from the campus.
Demonstrators protested their arrests outside of the Hamilton County Justice Center Monday.
Two individuals told us they are disappointed in the university's response and how the situation is being handled.
"It frankly ruined my graduation experience," one individual told us. "I was unable to focus on the commencement. I was far more focused on the safety of my peers. I was checking our chats the entire time. I was just filled with concern, fear and anxiety."
The two were arrested while protesting the war in Gaza, according to an Instagram post by XU Free Palestine, "a non-XU-affiliated group advocating for Palestinian liberation, culture and joy."
The university said the two were arrested for attempting to stage a protest away from the designated demonstration area, Husman Stage.
"Per our policy, Xavier University Police requested that both individuals relocate to the appropriate demonstration area," the university said. "After this request was ignored, police notified the protestors that if they did not relocate they would be arrested. After the student and civilian continued to ignore law enforcement, both were arrested and placed into custody without incident."
The university said another small group gathered peacefully at Husman Stage for a short bit before the start of commencement.
On Friday, XU Free Palestine posted on social media that it planned to protest at XU's commencement.
The group said it was rallying in front of the Cintas Center "because Gaza's graduating class of 2024 cannot walk their stage; there are now no functioning universities left in Gaza."
"Our goal is to show up in solidarity to remind graduates and their families that all for one, one for all extends past commencement and into the lives we are lucky enough to continue living — something that the people of Gaza do not have the privilege of," the group wrote.
"Xavier also has a nearly 200-year-old commitment to supporting free inquiry and free expression in the pursuit of truth, principles which lie at the very core of our mission and identity as a Jesuit Catholic work, grounded in the liberal arts," the university said. "As an institution, we wholeheartedly encourage the exchange of diverse ideas and viewpoints as central to the development of the whole person. Further, we are steadfast in creating an environment of Ignation belonging, where all are encouraged to engage in peaceful assembly for the exchange of ideas."
Recently, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost advised universities that a law written to deter Ku Klux Klan demonstrations could be used to impose felony charges on students who wear face coverings while protesting the war in Gaza.
After the arrests, XU Free Palestine is calling for the removal or suspension of Xavier University Police Chief Robert Warfel and XU's faculty committee to hold a vote of no confidence in university President Colleen Hanycz's leadership.
Xavier University now joins a long list of other nationwide universities, including Ohio State University, Indiana University and University of Kentucky, that also saw protests — and arrests — in support of Gaza and Palestine.
Students at Miami University in Oxford set up an encampment to protest the war in Gaza before eventually ending it after 48 hours. The two organizations that held the protest disbanded it before the university took punitive action.
READ MORE | Pro-Palestine encampment at Miami University disperses to avoid suspensions
Lankisch and Dempsey are set to return to court on May 28.
Here is Xavier University's full statement about the arrests:
While non-violent campus demonstrations by Xavier students, faculty and staff are welcome, University policy states it may limit the time, place and manner of demonstrations to ensure disruptions to campus operations are avoided. Saturday morning, one Xavier student and one individual not affiliated with the University attempted to stage a protest away from the designated demonstration area, Husman Stage.
Per our policy, Xavier University Police requested that both individuals relocate to the appropriate demonstration area. After this request was ignored, police notified the protestors that if they did not relocate, they would be arrested. After the student and civilian continued to ignore law enforcement, both were arrested and placed into custody without incident.
Additionally, a small group gathered peacefully at Husman Stage for a short period prior to the beginning of the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony.
Few traditions carry the level of importance and meaning for our University community that Commencement Day does. It is a sacred, shared moment when we come together as Musketeers to recognize years of dedication and resiliency from students celebrating the achievement of a lifetime and countless dreams fulfilled. This day held a special significance for the many Class of 2024 members who missed out on experiencing their high school graduations because of COVID-19.
Xavier also has a nearly 200-year-old commitment to supporting free inquiry and free expression in the pursuit of truth, principles which lie at the very core of our mission and identity as a Jesuit Catholic work, grounded in the liberal arts. As an institution, we wholeheartedly encourage the exchange of diverse ideas and viewpoints as central to the development of the whole person. Further, we are steadfast in creating an environment of Ignatian belonging, where all are encouraged to engage in peaceful assembly for the exchange of ideas.
As is the case every spring, the University carefully prepared for Commencement Day with the chief goal of maintaining campus safety while creating an opportunity for our students and their families to celebrate this milestone achievement.
READ MORE:
Ohio attorney general warns student protesters in masks could face felony charges under anti-KKK law
At least 2,000 people arrested at pro-Palestinian protests on US campuses
President Biden says pro-Palestinian protesters have right to gather, but 'there is no place for hate speech'
