Ohio State locks some campus buildings, state police 'available' ahead of pro-Palestine protests

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio State University has closed public access to some campus buildings and the Ohio State Highway Patrol is prepared to assist university police ahead of a planned pro-Palestinian protest on campus Wednesday evening.

Hours before students planned to demonstrate on campus against Israel's war in Gaza, Ohio State's facilities operations and management sent a message to building coordinators asking them to post "Building Locked" signs on the doors of buildings. Only people with swipe card access will be permitted in buildings "out of an abundance of caution," the email read.

"Given what has occurred on other college campuses, the university has locked some buildings. The buildings remain open for business," Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson said in a written statement. "This proactive measure is intended to allow university employees to continue their work and best maintain safety on campus."

Protesters are returning to the South Oval behind the Ohio Union Wednesday after three dozen protesters were arrested for staging a pro-Palestine encampment there, one of dozens at universities across the U.S. calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Protesters, led by students, are calling on Ohio State to disclose its investments in companies tied to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, and to ultimately divest from those.

The university has declined to disclose its investments and cited a state law forbidding targeted boycotting of Israel as an explanation for its inability to divest. On Monday, Ohio State President Ted Carter defended the arrests and general police response to the protests, saying that "Ohio State's campus will not be overtaken" by protest encampments.

Thursday’s arrests marked the most arrests of protesters on Ohio State’s campus in more than 50 years. More than 40 people have been arrested for protesting there since April 23, when two students were arrested outside an academic building.

All arrested protesters have been charged with criminal trespassing, with Ohio State saying the planned encampments violated the university's space rules. Amid calls to drop the charges, the Columbus city attorney's office told NBC4 on Monday -- and reiterated again in a Wednesday social media post -- that the office is reviewing each case against protesters as it does with any criminal case.

The arrests -- particularly of students -- have sparked criticism from faculty, students and activists and commendation from Republican elected officials.

On Tuesday, Ohio State's chapter of the American Association of University Professors sent a letter to Carter and the board of trustees regarding the deployment of law enforcement against peaceful protesters.

“We just wanted to be peaceful and stand our ground, and then they made it not peaceful,” Ohio State student Saphia Abdelsalam, who has family members in Gaza, told NBC4 after the arrests last week. “They started attacking and started arresting.”

"The OSU administration's avowed concern with student safety is irreconcilable with the decision to send in large numbers of armed police in response to a peaceful protest and prayer," AAUP-Ohio State's letter read.

Faculty, students and staff of Ohio State's sociology department, graduate and doctoral students in the department of history and other academic departments have published similarly condemning statements about Ohio State's response to protests.

From Gov. Mike DeWine to Sen. J.D. Vance and state representatives, Republican politicians, meanwhile, have praised how Ohio State and other colleges have broken up anti-war protests on their campuses.

"I think that it's reasonable to say that, yes, you have the right to free speech, but there are certain time, place and manner restrictions to ensure that we still have an orderly society," Vance told NBC4 on Wednesday. He previously posted on social media that "wanting to participate" in pro-Palestine protest encampments "is a mental illness."

DeWine said that Ohio State fairly balanced protesters' freedom of speech with campus safety and security concerns. He told reporters at an event in Chillicothe on Wednesday that state police is prepared to assist the university at evening protests, as it did at the university's request last week.

“We can’t camp out overnight. You can’t erect tents, but you can stand there and advocate, and that’s what Ohio State has enforced," DeWine said. "They ask us for help from the Highway Patrol, our highway patrol. We are happy to do that. We will continue to do that if necessary."

The Ohio State Highway Patrol declined to discuss its preparations ahead of the Wednesday protest, citing "safety concerns." Last week, state troopers on the roof of the Ohio Union had rifles ready “reactively to protect the safety of all present, including demonstrators,” an Ohio State spokesperson confirmed.