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Dozens gather outside Columbus court after Ohio State students arrested during protest

Students at the university said they are disappointed after campus police shut down the protest on Thursday night.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dozens of people met outside of the Franklin County Municipal Court Monday morning to support pro-Palestine protestors who were arrested at The Ohio State University last week.

The protestors' court hearing was discontinued, meaning that they will not appear before a judge until June 14.

Students at the university said they are disappointed after campus police shut down the protest on Thursday night.

RELATED: 36 arrested after gathering at Ohio State to protest Israel-Hamas war

“We are really hurt by the way the university brutalized our students, sent them to jail, called the police on them,” said student Isabella Guinigundo.

Now, they want the university to take accountability for what happened on Thursday. 

First, they want Ohio State University President Ted Carter to protect protestors, who they believe are expressing their free speech rights.

“He has a responsibility to the safety of his students. Something OSU has definitely neglected,” said Tal Shutken, a graduate student at Ohio State.

They also want Carter to use his power to listen to the protestors' call for divestment in Israel, and acknowledge what is happening in the Israel-Hamas war. 

The school said on its website, "Pursuant to Ohio state law, state entities cannot divest interests in Israel. Ohio Revised Code Section 9.76 prohibits the university from divesting any interests in Israel and prohibits adopting or adhering to a policy that requires divestment from Israel or with persons or entities associated with it."

RELATED: 'Safety will not be compromised': Ohio State president responds to protest, arrests on campus

“As the leader of a massive institution, he does have a responsibility to the world and the Palestinians that are suffering,” said Shutken.

Carter issued a statement on Monday saying that he values and welcomes free speech, but he said what happened on campus was not about limiting free speech. 

"It was an intentional violation of University space rules that exist,” the statement read in part.

Those arrested on Thursday night are charged with criminal trespassing. Attorneys for the students believe the students' free speech was suppressed on Thursday and thinks they should not have been charged.

“This is a case, that in public opinion, is a matter of free speech. That’s why everyone felt it was important to come out [to municipal court] and support those who we believe were unlawfully charged on matter of free speech,” said attorney Mazen Rasoul.

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