On October 10th, 2025, a group of students gathered outside of the Hotel at Oberlin to protest the College’s continued investment in companies that either directly  or indirectly fund and perpetuate Israel’s genocide in Palestine. As the Board of Trustees convened within the halls of the Hotel, students were met with violent opposition from several police and campus safety officers. In the weeks since, several accounts of the altercation have proliferated pages of newspapers and whispers of students. However, no published narratives have included the perspectives of protesters and uninvolved witnesses, only taking information from one side. The following is a step-by-step recreation of events, drawing directly from the testimonies of students who were involved. Accounts have been anonymized for safety.

At 1:30 PM, students congregated at Tappan Square’s bandstand. Protestors carried signs and noise makers as the organizers provided instruction  about safe practices. After the speech concluded, the students walked from the bandstand to the back entrance of the Hotel, only to find that police officers were already there. Reports from uninvolved witnesses indicate that officers and police vehicles had been present at least two hours prior to 1:30 PM. Anthony Pernell-McGee, CED Executive Director, alongside Eric Rooks and Dave Bender, Director of Campus Safety and Campus Safety Supervisor respectively, filmed students' faces from the other side of the glass. Pernell-McGee would retreat into the Hotel after students moved locations, Rooks and Bender on the other hand continued filming, laughing at, and threatening students. A student (Protestor B) recalls what occurred at the back entrance: 

“When we first went to the parking lot entrance, when we held our signs to the hotel windows, police officers pulled several students away from the windows and pushed them to the ground.” - Protestor B

As students tried to enter the building through the admissions entrance, police and campus safety began to box students in. They grabbed several students and shoved them down, yanking and throwing all the while demanding de-escalation. Officers were liberal enough with their force to send one student to the hospital with a concussion after their head hit the ground.

The students relocated and attempted to enter the Hotel through the front entrance, only making it into the vestibule, which separated outside from the hotel interior. Police followed in from behind and began to pull people from the interior doors, while campus safety watched from the inside. Several were held down, violently shoved, and dragged outside:

“We then went towards the entrance facing Tappan Square, where we tried to enter the hotel. We did not make it past the space between the front door and the interior doors. In this area, police officers grabbed students and dragged them outside.” - Protestor B

While still inside, a police officer (identified by multiple students as Officer Morgan Bynum-Robinson) took out pepper spray and began threatening students point blank within the vestibule. Most students  dispersed, but some others regrouped  and stood together around the entrance.The officer aimed his pepper spray at students eyes and sprayed. One of these students recounted the proceeding moments:

“I got pepper sprayed in front of the hotel. I was in the second row surrounding the entrance, just to catch people if they got shoved, and the cop I was closest to started shoving harder before he pulled out his spray and got me and the two people in front of me.” - Protestor A

After this escalation, more police came, along with the Sherif’s department. At least nine separate police cars were spotted, including police from other townships and the deputy. At around 3:00 PM, the remaining students returned to the back entrance as they were followed by police. They dispersed shortly after. In the aftermath, several students had to receive medical attention for minor injuries, sprained limbs, and pepper spray. Some are still dealing with medical repercussions from the officers’ actions, whereas others are just left with bruises and contempt.

“All it did was piss me off; nobody was shoving past the cops, we moved back right to the limit they set when ordered, [it] felt like an extreme escalation. If you're so impulsive and childlike that you need to spray me, at least do me the dignity of doing it when I'm actively threatening you. Pussy!” - Protestor A

Cover artwork by Caroline Acker.