Jill Stein Arrested – Why Was Green Party candidate Jill Stein arrested?

Jill Stein, presidential candidate of the Green Party said she was charged with assaulting a police officer after she attended a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, on Saturday.

After her release after being arrested for several hours, she said in an interview, “It was kind of scary to tell you the truth; I was charged with assaulting a police officer. Can you believe it?”.

Jill Stein said that she was invited by students at the university, one of dozens across the U.S. that have been disrupted in recent weeks by protests against Israel’s deadly military campaign in Gaza, accusations of antisemitism, and clashes with police to join the demonstration.

Before her arrest, Stein posted a video on her X account in which she noted the presence of police and said, “We’re going to stand here in line with the students who are standing for democracy, standing up for human rights, and standing up to end genocide”.

Further, she posted various photos of her and members of her staff, who she said were also under custody, linking arms with student protesters. Moreover, a video circulated on social media shows a confrontation between protesters, including Stein and police, with a bicycle being pushed between the two groups.

As per the statements of Washington University, 100 individuals, including 23 students and four university employees, were arrested on Saturday when they refused to leave after being asked multiple times.

Jill Stein who is a physician and environmental activist, also previously ran as the Green Party candidate for President in 2012 and 2016, and her 2024 campaign website emphasizes an anti war, pro-worker, and climate action agenda. Stein said that she was in Missouri to collect signatures to get on the 2024 presidential ballot in the state.

Moreover, Stein told KSDK that “the American People are clamoring for a choice; they don’t want these two zombie candidates rammed down their throats again. She added that referring to President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the 81-year-old Democratic incumbent and 77-year-old Republican presumptive nominee, respectively.