Baptist et al v. Wheeler et al

Summary

In early May 2024, pro-Palestinian demonstrators established an encampment on Parker Quad at SUNY New Paltz to protest the university’s contracts with Siemens, which they said supplied technology used by the Israeli military, and to express solidarity with Gaza. Administrators had issued multiple deadlines, including a clear directive to disperse by 9 p.m. on May 2, but even after the protesters complied by taking down their tents, a significant law enforcement presence remained. Then, at approximately 10:30 p.m., officers from multiple agencies, including New York State Police and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, moved in. More than 130 individuals were arrested, dragged, zip tied, jabbed with batons, and faced airsoft rifles, while some endured head injuries, invasive physical contact, and dehumanizing behavior during detention. The event was later described as among the most force heavy crackdowns on campus protests in 2024.

On December 5, 2024, seven of the arrested protesters, including current students, recent graduates, and community members, filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. The suit named SUNY New Paltz President Darrell Wheeler, Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, State Police troopers Olivia Bachor and Thomas Brusca, and SUNY New Paltz police officer Po Yukovich as defendants. It sought class action status on both sides, charging that the university and law enforcement acted in concert to suppress and then publicly misrepresent what had been a peaceful demonstration. The complaint alleged violations of First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly and Fourth Amendment protections against excessive force, false arrest, and detention without probable cause. The plaintiffs sought twenty million dollars in damages and a jury trial.

By early 2025, the legal case remained pending, still in the pretrial motions phase according to court documents. Meanwhile, local efforts to reflect and respond to the events unfolded. In March 2025, visiting professor Noor Tagouri hosted a forum on campus for students to discuss the mass arrests and their aftermath. The pending lawsuit and Tagouri’s decision to film the event prompted calls for a boycott from the SUNY New Paltz Students for Palestine, and as a result no university officials participated.

Though nearly all charges had already been dropped by Ulster County District Attorney, the lawsuit continued to move through pretrial motions.