Campus Alert Archive
Cal Poly Humboldt

Eight Days in Siemens Hall: Humboldt Students Occupy Two Buildings, Force Campus-Wide Closure Through End of Semester

CAcivil unrestemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On April 22, 2024, approximately 45 students and community members occupied Siemens Hall at Cal Poly Humboldt in solidarity with Palestinians, triggering an eight-day occupation that expanded to Nelson Hall East. The university closed the entire campus through May 10 and shifted all instruction to remote, making it one of the most disruptive campus protest actions of the 2024 wave.

Alerts
5
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt
Public Masters · CA
~5,700 studentsHumboldt Alerts
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

5 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction281 chars
HUMBOLDT ALERT: Campus is closed effective immediately due to an ongoing situation in Siemens Hall. All buildings are locked. Classes are canceled. Faculty should prepare to teach virtually until further notice. Stay away from campus unless directed otherwise by University Police.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from the university's official archive of April 2024 protest updates and local media coverage
The occupation of Siemens Hall began at approximately 4:25 PM PDT when 45 demonstrators entered the building
Campus police attempted negotiations before other law enforcement agencies arrived, including a helicopter and K-9 units
After a six-hour standoff, police withdrew and the occupation continued overnight
UPDATEEmail
Approximate reconstruction245 chars
HUMBOLDT ALERT UPDATE: Campus will remain closed through at least the weekend. Protesters continue to occupy Siemens Hall and have expanded to Nelson Hall East. All work and academic instruction will be conducted remotely. Do not come to campus.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from local news coverage documenting the campus closure extension
By April 24, the occupation had expanded from Siemens Hall to include Nelson Hall East
The campus closure was later extended through May 10, effectively ending the in-person semester
UPDATEEmail
Verified verbatimCal Poly Humboldt official Humboldt NOW archive of April 2024 protest updates; same text confirmed in Lost Coast Outpost reporting at 12:41 PM PDT on April 27, 2024201 chars
A hard closure of campus is now being enforced. Individuals are prohibited from entering or being on campus without permission. This includes road closures at Harpst and B as well as Plaza and LK Wood.
Verbatim alert headline issued at 12:41 PM PDT on April 27, 2024 from the official Humboldt NOW archive
The hard closure represented an escalation from the previous campus closure, authorizing citations or arrests for unauthorized presence
Approximately 100 law enforcement officers converged on campus following this announcement
The brevity of the headline alert is in contrast with the longer narrative statement issued the same day urging protesters to 'leave the campus peacefully now'
ALL CLEAREmail+2d
Approximate reconstruction282 chars
HUMBOLDT ALERT: Law enforcement has cleared and secured Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East. 31 individuals have been arrested without incident. No injuries have been reported. Campus remains closed through May 10 with remote instruction continuing. Updates at humboldt.edu/emergency.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from the university's official archive and Inside Higher Ed coverage of the clearance operation
The 31 arrests were made without incident and no injuries were reported on either side
Despite the buildings being cleared, the campus remained closed through the end of the semester
FOLLOW-UPpress-release
Verified verbatimPresident Tom Jackson Jr.'s April 30, 2024 statement, as reproduced by Inside Higher Ed and the Lost Coast Outpost205 chars
I commend the law enforcement team for their effort in resolving this very dangerous situation, and I'm incredibly grateful for the many agencies who advised us and who came to our aid in our time of need.
Issued by Cal Poly Humboldt President Tom Jackson Jr. on April 30, 2024 after the early-morning law enforcement operation that cleared the eight-day occupation of Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East
Jackson separately characterized the occupation as 'serious criminal activity that crossed the line well beyond the level of a protest' — language that became the focus of subsequent faculty no-confidence proceedings
Cal Poly Humboldt's University Senate passed a vote of no confidence in Jackson on April 25 — five days before this statement — and hundreds of faculty and staff signed a letter calling for his resignation
Context

Background

On April 22, 2024, approximately 45 students, alumni, and community members occupied Siemens Hall at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, California, inspired by the Columbia University encampment and other nationwide pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Campus police attempted negotiations, and multiple law enforcement agencies responded including K-9 units and a helicopter, but after a six-hour standoff the police withdrew. The occupation expanded to Nelson Hall East by April 23. The university closed the campus through May 10 and moved all instruction to remote delivery. On April 27, the administration issued a hard closure authorizing citations or arrests for anyone on campus without police authorization. On April 30, approximately 100 law enforcement officers cleared both buildings and arrested 31 individuals without incident. The protest deeply divided the campus community; the University Senate passed a no-confidence vote in university leadership, and hundreds of faculty signed a letter calling for resignations.
Analysis

Key Findings

Cal Poly Humboldt became the only campus in the 2024 protest wave to close entirely for the remainder of the semester due to a building occupation
The eight-day occupation was one of the longest sustained building takeovers during the spring 2024 campus protest movement
The University Senate's no-confidence vote in leadership reflected deep campus divisions over the administration's response
Outcome
Law enforcement cleared and secured both Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East on April 30, arresting 31 individuals without incident or injuries. The campus remained closed through the end of the semester with instruction conducted remotely. The University Senate passed a no-confidence vote in university leadership.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Archive: Updates From April 2024 Protests (Cal Poly Humboldt)
    now.humboldt.edu
  2. Source
    Cal Poly Humboldt pro-Palestinian occupation finally ends (Inside Higher Ed)
    insidehighered.com
  3. Source
    Report from within the Cal Poly Humboldt Building Occupation (CrimethInc)
    crimethinc.com
  4. News
    Cal Poly Humboldt Issues Hard Closure of Campus (Lost Coast Outpost)
    lostcoastoutpost.com
  5. Student Paper
    Dozens of protestors decide to stay on Cal Poly Humboldt campus (The Lumberjack)
    thelumberjack.org
Tags
civil-unrestbuilding-occupationprotestpro-palestiniancampus-closureremote-instructioncaliforniapublic-universityno-confidence-vote
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion