News
Four Arrested During Student Senate Meeting
By: Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Four people were arrested during a vocal meeting of the Ohio University Student Senate Wednesday night.
Maxwell Peltz, 20, of Orange Village; Rebecca Sebo, 22, of Pepper Pike; Gabriel Sirkin, 20, of White Plains, N.Y.; and Jonah Yulish, 19, of Beachwood, were all arrested and taken to the OU Police Department on the charge of disturbing a lawful meeting.
Police responded to the meeting at about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday night in Walter Hall with a report of "people disrupting the regularly scheduled meeting of Student Senate," according to a news release by the OUPD.
Officers instructed those allegedly disrupting the meeting to clear the floor of the Senate chamber.
"Most people complied, but several did not," the release stated. "Those who did not were taking turns vocally disrupting the meeting and walking around on the floor of the chamber, thus preventing the meeting from proceeding."
After "several" warnings from Senate President Megan Marzec and police officers, the four people were arrested.
The individuals were reportedly there to speak about Marzec's recent statements and actions regarding Palestine and Israel, and a video in which she accepted an "Ice Bucket Challenge" from President Roderick McDavis. Instead of using ice water, Marzec dumped red liquid on her head while asking that the university "divest" from connections with Israel, according to the video.
Sebo is the president of Bobcats for Israel, a campus group that promotes advocacy for Israel.
The charge is a fourth-degree misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail and a $250 fine, the release stated.
All four who were arrested were released on their own recognizance Wednesday night and are scheduled to make an initial appearance in Athens County Municipal Court Thursday morning.