NEW ORLEANS — Fourteen people were found not guilty after they appeared in court Friday following their arrests during a pro-Palestine protest on Tulane University's campus this past spring.
The protest, which took place in May, saw demonstrators gather in support of Palestinian rights.
Protesters began assembling around 8 a.m. outside Tulane's administration building. By 8:15 a.m., the crowd had grown more passionate, with chants and speeches echoing from the steps of the building.
The 14 arrested individuals, roughly half of whom are students from Tulane and Loyola University, were facing misdemeanor charges of remaining in a place after being forbidden – a form of trespassing. The charge carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail or a $500 fine.
Many of the protesters remained outside the courthouse, while others entered to witness the trial.
The protest and the subsequent arrests have sparked conversations about free speech and the role of student activism on college campuses.
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