More than 25 people were arrested after a group occupied an academic building at the University of Washington, demanding that the school cut the ties with Boeing while the war in Gaza continues, according to the university and a spokeswoman for the group.
A group called the United students for equality and the Palestinian return said it was behind the acquisition, with a spokesman who told ABC News that all the people who entered the building were arrested.
“All were arrested and legal and political support is ongoing for them,” said spokesman, Oliver Marchant, in a text, added: “All those arrested, except one inside the building, some of those arrested were also injured during the arrest and needed medical attention.”
The school said in a previous press release that “a few dozen people” had entered the interdisciplinary engineering building just before the closing of the 5 pm. The Campus Police was called to the scene, the university said in a statement to ABC News.
Police officers are seen on the Campus of the University of Washington during an occupation of a building by protesters, on this screen of a video supplied by the United students for Palestinian equality and UW returns on March 5, 2025.
United Students for Palestinian Equality and Return UW
Boeing, a aircraft manufacturer and one of the largest defense companies in the United States, has a long history with the University of Washington.
Before the arrests, the school said that “Intruders mainly cover their faces and stack the construction furniture near tickets.”
“As far as we know, all those who connect with the UW who do not want to be inside the building,” said the university in a statement. “People who remain in the building are transferred and will face student legal actions.”
The group, which passes through Super UW and that was identified as Pro-Palestine, issued a series of demands for school administrators, including the elimination of “BOEING of the IEB”, as the building they occupied is known.
The group requested that the building be renamed.
Boeing supplied around $ 10 million as a donation to help in the construction of that building of $ 90 million, the school said in 2022, before construction. A press release from that time indicated that “Boeing’s relationship with the UW dates back to more than a century.”
The group occupied by the building sought, in general, to stop all Boeing donations to school.
“Return any existing donation, financial investments and eliminate all other material ties with Boeing,” said the group. “Prohibit Boeing executives and employees from teaching classes or having some influence on the curriculum.”
Tristan of ABC News contributes to this report.
