Police use chemical spray, handcuff protesters, arrest nonstudent outside University of Michigan museum

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Police used a chemical spray to disperse a large crowd and handcuff pro-Palestinian protesters during a chaotic scene outside the University of Michigan Museum of Art on Friday night, according to videos posted on social media.

The incident occurred around 9 p.m. outside the museum on South State Street in downtown Ann Arbor, hours before UM was poised to celebrate the Class of 2024 during its commencement on Saturday at Michigan Stadium.

A dinner was held at the university art museum on Friday to recognize those set to receive honorary degrees during commencement, UM spokeswoman Colleen Mastony said Saturday.

"The dinner had ended, the attendees had departed, and police officers were removing barriers when the crowd pushed forward and converged," Mastony said. "The officers pushed the crowd back."

Videos of the incident, during which police can be heard shouting to the crowd to move and some in the crowd screaming, were captured by the TAHRIR Coalition, which is composed of more than 90 student organizations working for Palestinian liberation at UM.

"Are you proud of doing this instead of having a single meeting," one of the video captions says. The students were calling out for UM President Santa Ono and Regents Paul Brown, Jordan Acker and Sarah Hubbard, all of whom were believed to be meeting inside the museum. "You are traumatizing us."

The students carried poster boards and banners saying, "Free Free Palestine" and "No Funds for Genocide," and waving Palestinian flags. Some in the crowd could be heard saying "Get out!" and one person is seen waving his arm, motioning for the line of protesters that cut across the audience to move on.

"Ono, Ono you can't hide. You are funding genocide," the students chanted as they carried poster boards and banners saying, "Free Free Palestine" and "No Funds for Genocide," and waving Palestinian flags.

It's unclear how many were detained by Michigan State Police, who were deployed to the scene. Video shows chanters screaming "Let her go" as a student is handcuffed up against the museum's exterior windows. Others yelled for water and cried 'pepper spray!' UM and Ann Arbor Police said they could not comment. Michigan State Police could not immediately be reached.

"One person, who is not affiliated with the university, was arrested," Mastony said. "The campus has otherwise remained peaceful."

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