Campus Alert Archive
Dartmouth

89 Arrested Including Faculty and Student Journalists as SWAT Team Clears Dartmouth Green

NHcivil unrestadvisoryhigh confidence
Confirmed Threat

On May 1, 2024, pro-Palestinian protesters erected tents on Dartmouth's Green, prompting a large police response including New Hampshire State Police SWAT. Officers from Hanover Police, Lebanon Police, and state troopers arrested 89 people including faculty and student journalists. President Beilock later called the arrests an 'error.'

Alerts
4
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Dartmouth College
Private R1 · NH
~7,000 students
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

4 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction274 chars
Dartmouth Safety and Security Notice: A large demonstration is taking place on the Green. Protesters have erected tents and have been asked to disperse. Please avoid the Green area. Safety and Security officers are on scene and additional law enforcement has been requested.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from media accounts of Dartmouth's communications during the protest
Safety and Security officers repeatedly asked protesters to disperse before calling for police assistance
The protest began as a rally with speakers before tents were erected
UPDATEEmail
Approximate reconstruction239 chars
Dartmouth Safety and Security Update: Law enforcement is actively clearing the Green. Multiple agencies including Hanover Police and New Hampshire State Police are on scene. Please avoid the area surrounding the Green until further notice.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from Hanover Police press release and media accounts
Arrests began shortly before 9:00 PM EDT according to the Hanover Police timeline
Multiple agencies responded including Hanover Police, Lebanon Police, and NH State Police SWAT
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstruction243 chars
Dartmouth Safety and Security Update: The demonstration on the Green has been cleared and the area is open to the campus community. Normal campus operations will resume. Support resources are available through Counseling and Human Development.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from Dartmouth statements and media coverage of the aftermath
89 individuals were arrested, including students, faculty, and community members
Two student journalists from The Dartmouth were arrested despite identifying themselves as press
FOLLOW-UPEmail
Verified verbatimCampus protest community message (Dartmouth Office of the President, signed by President Sian Leah Beilock)646 chars
Last night, approximately 90 people, including many unaffiliated with Dartmouth as well as students and faculty here, were removed from the Green by police after declining several opportunities to stage their protest in a manner consistent with Dartmouth's policies. Protestors pitched a 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' and physically prevented its removal despite multiple opportunities to avoid arrest. Dartmouth's long-standing policies limit the time, place, and manner where protests can occur and prohibit encampments or the occupation of buildings that interfere with the academic mission or increase safety risks to members of the community.
Published as the official institutional account of the May 1 events on Dartmouth's main news site, and reproduced on the President's Office and the Dartmouth Free Expression community-messages archive
Beilock followed up with a separate open letter in The Dartmouth on May 14 acknowledging community harm, writing 'No one, including me, wanted to see heavily armed police officers in the heart of our campus' and 'I accept responsibility for that, and I am sorry for the harm this impossible decision has caused'
Faculty censured Beilock on May 21, 2024 for what they called a 'pattern' of calling police on protesters
Context

Background

The Dartmouth protest on May 1, 2024 drew national attention for the scale of the police response relative to the small campus community. Protesters pitched a 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' on the Green, demanding divestment from companies connected to Israel. The administration's decision to deploy multiple police agencies including a SWAT team was widely criticized by faculty, with the History Department and English Department both issuing formal statements condemning the response. Professor Annelise Orleck described being 'brutalized by police' during her arrest. Notably, two student journalists from The Dartmouth were arrested despite having clearly identified themselves as press and receiving permission from Dartmouth's Office of Communications. President Sian Beilock later called the police response an 'error' and the Hanover Prosecutor's Office confirmed it would not pursue charges against the journalists.
Outcome
89 people were arrested on criminal trespass charges. Charges against student journalists were dropped. President Beilock acknowledged the response was an error and vowed to work with authorities to drop charges.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    Police arrest 89 individuals at pro-Palestinian protest (The Dartmouth)
    thedartmouth.com
  2. News
    Police break up pro-Palestinian protest at Dartmouth College, 90 arrested (VTDigger)
    vtdigger.org
  3. Source
    Dartmouth College: Student Journalists Arrested Covering Campus Protest (FIRE)
    thefire.org
  4. Official
    Campus protest (Dartmouth Official)
    home.dartmouth.edu
Tags
civil-unrestprotestencampmentnew-hampshireprivate-r1ivy-leaguepress-freedomfirst-amendmentpro-palestinian
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion