MADISON, Wis. — The UW-Madison Police Department said a protester rushed at officers prior to being shoved during a protest at the Mechanical Engineering Building Tuesday afternoon.
The group Mecha de UW Madison was protesting a career fair at the building in opposition to the presence of companies BAE Systems, Caterpillar and General Dynamics. The group, which is pro-Palestinian, claimed those companies are supplying weapons used by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza.
A video posted by the group on Instagram appears to show a UWPD shoving a protester, who was blocking the entrance to the building.
In a statement Wednesday, a UWPD spokesperson told News 3 Now that the group had protested peacefully during the bulk of the career fair, however in the afternoon multiple protesters tried to disrupt the event.
UWPD said the protesters were bringing items into the Mechanical Engineering Building that are not allowed in university buildings. The video from Mecha de UW Madison appears to show protesters using a bullhorn and carrying Palestine flags.