Students arrested at on-campus pro-Palestinian protest set dates for court sessions

The two pro-Palestinian protesters arrested on-campus on April 28 will appear at the Pittsburgh Municipal Court over multiple days in the coming month. The arrests came after protesters gathered in the area between the Cathedral of Learning and the William Pitt Union following days of demonstrating in Schenley Plaza at the end of April.

One person, who is believed to be a student at the University of Pittsburgh, faces two charges of defiant trespassing. According to TribLive, they first received a trespassing citation in front of the Cathedral of Learning in the early evening. They then returned to the Cathedral later that night with his citation in hand. Pitt police handcuffed them and took them to Allegheny County Jail after the second trespassing violation. 

They face two defiant trespassing charges. The first charge, stemming from their early evening citation, will be tried as a summary case. The second charge, stemming from their second trespassing violation, will be a non-summary charge. A non-summary trespassing offense could be tried as a first-degree misdemeanor, which carries a potential sentence of up to five years in jail and a fine not exceeding $10,000.

They will appear for his summary trial on June 27. They will also appear for preliminary hearings on June 23 and July 29, which will determine whether there is enough evidence to go to trial for his second defiant trespassing charge.

The other person, who is believed to be a student at Carnegie Mellon University, will face a summary trial on June 13. They are charged with defiant trespassing after communication to vacate the area. As a summary offense, this charge carries a potential fine of $300 and up to 90 days in jail.

Encampment organizers did not respond to a request for comment. Pitt declined to comment. Neither defendant nor their attorneys responded to a request for comment.

Pitt Police arrested a third protestor at the “Palestine solidarity encampment” established on June 2. The protester was charged with aggravated assault, obstruction of the administration of law and resisting arrest. They are not believed to be affiliated with the University, according to WTAE. They were arraigned on June 3 and will face a preliminary hearing on June 10.