Pro-Palestinian Harvard students appear in court a year after protest clash

A year after a pro-Palestinian protest at Harvard Business School became contentious. A controversial and slow-moving prosecution The trial of two graduate students officially began and was quickly met with a motion to dismiss the case due to concerns that the duo was the target of racially biased law enforcement.

Dressed in suits, Elom Tettey-Tamaklo and Ibrahim Bharmal stood silently outside a district courtroom in Brighton as they were arraigned on charges of assault, battery and civil rights violations. As is typical at such hearings, not guilty pleas were entered on each of their behalf and they were released with orders to stay away from the alleged victim.

But the case was unusual in many ways, and Friday’s hearings were no exception. The hearing was unusually long for such a trial, as the formal filing of the charges was simultaneously accompanied by multiple motions to be argued later, including a motion to dismiss. And a crowd of friends, family and supporters of the two defendants filled the courtroom.

Set against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict led to conflict last year and although it is still ongoing, the case has garnered national attention and frustration on both sides.

The alleged attack took place at: Pro-Palestinian demonstration at Harvard Business School last On October 18, protesters surrounded Jewish Israeli student Yoav Segev and shouted at him to leave the building. There were bumps and shoves. Videos The incident went viral and became a flashpoint in the turmoil that has consumed Harvard following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. last year.

When Tettey-Tamaklo and Bharmal saw Segev walking and recording among protesters, they feared he would use the video to publicly identify them. (There is no evidence that Segev did this.) In interviews with the Globe, they said that was why they approached him. They and other protesters created a commotion around Segev, forcing him away from the demonstration.

Harvard police said in court records that Bharmal and Tettey-Tamaklo committed assault and battery by “interfering with (Segev’s) movement,” shouting the word “shame” at him, “appearing to have contacted (Segev) multiple times,” and ” By placing a keffiyeh (a type of scarf) over (Segev’s) head.” Harvard police also accused them of targeting Segev because of his Jewish identity.

Bharmal and Tettey-Tamaklo said any contact they had with Segev was unintentional and that they did not know he was Jewish.

The case has languished for so long for reasons both unique to the Massachusetts court system and unique to these circumstances.

Bharmal and Tettey-Tamaklo were summoned to a closed-door hearing after Harvard Police filed misdemeanor charges against them; where a clerk-magistrate heard arguments on whether there was probable cause to proceed with formal charges. The process is followed in Massachusetts for anyone charged with misdemeanor charges that do not result in an arrest at the time, and is unique to that state.

Clerk-magistrate finds probable cause for the occurrence of a crime, leading the charges to move forward in May. But the case has since weakened unusual finger pointing Between the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case, and the Harvard Police, who are investigating the incident.

Tettey-Tamaklo and Bharmal maintain their innocence and believe the case was influenced by politics. U.S. Senator Mitt Romney of Utah and other Harvard alumni called out the alleged attack in an open letter to Harvard leaders last year questioning the university’s commitment to creating a safe environment for Jewish students, and congressional Republicans described it as an attack on Harvard. They became the focus of the investigation. .

On Friday, attorneys for the two graduate students filed the first of two motions to dismiss the case. The first, attorney Monica Shah said, was based on selective enforcement concerns: Harvard Police singled out Tettey-Tamaklo, who is black, and Bharmal, who is of South Asian descent, because of their skin color.

“There were multiple white individuals at the scene exhibiting the same behavior,” Shah said.

Deputy District Attorney Ursula Knight dismissed some of the allegations against Harvard Police, saying, “The defendants’ behavior is captured on video.”

Shah said he plans to file a second motion to impeach on the grounds that there is no probable cause that the crimes were committed. Judge Stephen McClenon ordered lawyers to file such a request by Dec. 23.

The next court date is scheduled for Jan. 17, when McClenon will hear arguments on motions to dismiss.

The hearing was attended by a handful of Israel supporters, including Aaron Nelson, who stood nearby and held an Israeli flag as students hugged their friends in front of the courthouse.

“They need to feel some consequences,” Nelson said.

A short distance away, Bharmal spoke, thanking the crowd for coming to support him and Tettey-Tamaklo.

“It was truly healing to see you all,” Bharmal said.

Many of those present embraced in a large group before the crowd went their separate ways.

Sean Cotter can be reached at [email protected]. follow him @cotterreporter.