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University of Minnesota closes buildings on campus over protests
Pro-Palestinian protests continue on the U of M’s East Bank campus which prompted the university to close a dozen buildings.
MINNEAPOLIS — Palestinian protests are continuing across the country and growing in size at the University of Minnesota. On Monday, the university sent out a notice that they would be closing a dozen buildings that surround the location of the demonstration out of safety concerns.
“We anticipate protests will continue on campus in the coming days and want to reiterate our commitment to freedom of expression through public discourse, including the right to peacefully and lawfully protest,” University leaders wrote in the email.
Roughly 150 students gathered on the lawn of the Northrup Mall beginning at 2 p.m. Students for Justice in Palestine member, Omar Ali says the group has been corresponding with the University for 7 months about their concerns. Their protests began April 23 in support of Palestinian civilians caught up in Israel’s war against Hamas. Many protesters are calling for university to divest in entities known to do business with Israel.
“It’s our job to make it clear that it’s a peaceful protest,” Ali said.
The protests prompted the university to close 12 buildings, including two of the most visited buildings on campus: Coffman Student Union and Walter Library. Students and staff that had classes in the closed buildings past 2 p.m. were shifted to a remote schedule.
“I don’t really care that they’re protesting. They have a right to do that and it’s not an issue with me,” second year student, Max Smith said. “It’s just literally the fact they closed the library. It’s the most popular study spot on campus.”
The university sent out this email to students:
“Dear students, faculty, and staff,
We anticipate protests will continue on campus in the coming days and want to reiterate our commitment to freedom of expression through public discourse, including the right to peacefully and lawfully protest. It is not only protected by the First Amendment but also a core value of the University of Minnesota. The University is committed to protecting the rights and wellbeing of all members of our community.
To ensure the safety of those who work and study on our campus, we plan to close buildings along the Northrop Mall on the East Bank area of campus at 2 p.m. today. Other East Bank buildings may move to U Card access only. Building updates will be communicated via SAFE-U messages. Refer to those notifications for more information.
Classes scheduled in the affected buildings after 2 p.m. should be moved to remote delivery or rescheduled to another location. Reduced operations will apply to only those employees impacted by these access changes and they should work remotely if possible. Please watch for follow-up messages from the Provost’s Office and Office of Human Resources for more information. For others, please carry your U Card with you at all times.
We recognize that with freedom of expression comes responsibility. Protesters are expected to uphold the safety of others, not interfere with normal campus operations, and adhere to student and employee conduct policies. We urge everyone who engages to remain nonviolent, peaceful, and follow both state laws and University policies, including restrictions prohibiting tents and encampments on campus. Discriminatory vandalism and defacements such as stickers and graffiti—some of which promote violence—are hurtful to many and violate University and Twin Cities campus policies.
The University unequivocally condemns vandalism, threatening behavior, and acts of violence, and these will not be tolerated on our campus. Such behavior not only undermines the principles of public discourse and respect for others, but also jeopardizes the safety and wellbeing of our community. All members of our community are encouraged to use the Bias Response and Referral Network to report incidents of harassment, bias, and discrimination.
Together let us continue to uphold a community that supports and values nonviolent, peaceful, and lawful protest, kindness, and safety for all.
Rachel Croson
Executive Vice President and Provost
Ken Horstman
Vice President for Human Resources
Calvin Phillips
Vice President for Student Affairs”
Six students and one faculty member arrested Tuesday for trespassing at the University of Minnesota during a protest have now been notified that the allegations have been rescinded.
The protests in Minnesota come after more than 100 demonstrators were arrested at Columbia University last week, including 5th District Rep. Ilhan Omar’s daughter, Isra HIrsi.
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MINNEAPOLIS — Did you ever have a teacher who made you excited to learn?
Black Men Teach specializes in ensuring Minnesota has more of those teachers. The nonprofit aims to get more Black men into education careers.
About 12% of students are Black in Minnesota schools, but only 0.5% of teachers are Black men. Markus Flynn, executive director of Black Men Teach, visited the KARE 11 studio to share more about his work.
And on Friday, the group is celebrating the historic judgement Brown v. Board of Education, which banned racial discrimination in public education.
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11’s newscasts. You’ll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
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Prosecutors have charged 41-year-old Pheng Yang with criminal vehicular homicide in the crash, which claimed the life of a Plymouth woman.
MINNEAPOLIS — A driver is now charged in an alleged distracted driving crash that claimed the life of a Plymouth woman last summer.
Prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against 41-year-old Pheng Yang of Brooklyn Park Thursday, charging him with criminal vehicular homicide in the crash, which took place on July 30, 2023.
The Minnesota State Patrol said Yang was in his Ford Econoline van driving southbound on Highway 169 near Plymouth Ave. when he rear-ended a Nissan Altima driven by 40-year-old Cristina Restrepo of Plymouth. Restrepo suffered multiple blunt force injuries and was declared dead at the hospital. She left behind a son who was 12 years old at the time of the crash.
Investigators say traffic cameras showed traffic backed up and nearly at a standstill when Yang’s truck came barreling in at a high rate of speed and hit the Altima. In the criminal complaint, they noted the defendant’s brake lights did not illuminate until approximately 1/10 of a second before impact.
The State Patrol calculated that Yang was driving at between 50 and 59 mph when he struck Restrepo’s car, while she was going approximately 8 mph.
When interviewed by investigators Yang reportedly told them his phone was connected to YouTube and he was playing a video while driving, and also trying to change the clock in the van when the crash occurred. He allegedly remembered looking down at his phone and seeing it was 4:09 p.m., which matches the time stamp on the video that captured the fatal collision.
If found guilty, state sentencing guidelines recommend a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines.
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A finger pressed to the lips, then drawing down the jawline — tracing out yet another social media trend making the rounds on TikTok.
“Mewing” signals to others that you’re trying to sculpt your jaw by pressing your tongue against the roof of the mouth.
The action is named after John and Michael Mew, a pair of controversial British orthodontists who pushed orthotropics, the belief that tongue positioning can shape one’s jaw.
The science is dubious, but its effect on teen social media habits is very real.
“I would say the biggest surprise is how consumed they are by it, how addicted they are to it,” said Andy Forbort, assistant principal of Grand Forks High School.
Forbort said that competition for his students’ attention feels like a losing game against social media trends. Though he hadn’t seen mewing in the school hallways, he did see a student athlete doing the motion in a state hockey tournament video.
That video reached 50,000 views on TikTok.
“It’s just where we’re at with social media,” Forbort said.
Frustrated by the focus on screens, Forbort started rewarding students who aren’t on their phones during free periods.
“I’ll run over and hand them out cookies and just say ‘Great job being present. Enjoy these moments,'” Forbort said. “It’s sad that it’s so uncommon, but when you see it, it’s energizing.”
Not every teen posing for a mewing video is actually trying to sculpt their jaw, but the trend has an more concerning dark side — mewing forums.
These online communities appear geared toward young men and boys. Teens post anonymous pictures of themselves, desperate to change their still-growing faces:
“GENUINE HELP NEEDED (YOUR ADVICE WILL BECOME MY ACTION),” one user wrote.
“Guys help me please,” another posted.
“Tips on how to lose face fat?”
Questions that eating disorder experts say can indicate an unhealthy preoccupation with body image.
“That content reinforces and reinforces you are not right, you are not good,” said Hilmar Wagner, an education specialist with the eating disorder treatment center The Emily Program.
Wagner says the biggest mistake parents can make is assuming the trend is harmless for everyone.
“Especially in something like mewing, where the intent, the effort is to physically change some aspect of your body,” Wagner said.
The surgeon general agrees. According to an advisory from last spring, 46% of teens reported feeling worse about their body image after scrolling social media.
Wagner fears that these short-term trends will lead to a long-lasting impact on mental health.
“That will be there and continue to negatively affect all of us well beyond when mewing is a thing of the past.”
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