AMHERST — Some of the 134 people arrested at the pro-Palestinian encampment in May at the University of Massachusetts have been prohibited from stepping foot on the Amherst campus for two years, based on trespass notices signed by UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes.

“It is important to note that if this notice is violated, you will be subject to arrest by the UMass Amherst Police,” reads the communication that recently went out, mostly to those who are not students or faculty at the university.

The notices cite the powers granted Reyes under Chapter 266, sections 120 and 123 of the state’s general laws, pertaining to trespassing and penalties in state land.

“We see these letters as yet another intimidation tactic from the admin team to repress student activism for Palestine on UMass campus,” reads a statement issued by UMass4Palestine, a campus-wide coalition of pro-Palestine organizers.

Such notices are not unusual following a protest in which arrests are made, spokeswoman Melinda Rose, interim director of news and media relations, wrote in an email.

“It is the University of Massachusetts Police Department’s standard practice to issue trespass notices to unaffiliated individuals (e.g. non-students, staff, or faculty) who are arrested on campus; these notices can be appealed,” Rose wrote.

In fact, some people appealed because they are students and faculty. Those were resolved in their favor, Rose said.

“Due to a clerical error, a small number of students and one employee were also issued trespass notices. These notices have been revoked and UMPD has reached out to affected community members to apologize for the error.”

In addition, trespass notices are also being revoked for any Five Colleges students who were sent a letter.

Those arrested on May 7 were taken into custody on various charges, including trespassing, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Some of the cases are being resolved in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, with the Northwestern district attorney’s office offering participation in a four-month diversion program that means, if they stay out of trouble, the charges will be dismissed.

Still, nearly 500 members of the faculty and librarians later in May expressed no confidence in the leadership of Reyes from the arrests, has created an unsafe environment, betrayed core UMass values and has refused responsibility for the harms caused by his actions.

Reyes in mid-June creation of a Campus Demonstration Policy Task Force and an independent review of police activity on campus. The goals of the 16-member task force will be to review protest policies and guidelines, including land-use policy, picketing code, and demonstration guidelines, and make subsequent recommendations to “appropriate university governing bodies.”

The Task Force will finalize its recommendations by Aug. 23, and will accept community comments related to the three goals submitted to cdptaskforce@umass.edu before Aug. 8.

UMass4Palestine notes that while students and faculty arrested will be able to be on campus, alumni and community members are waiting for the status of their appeals.

“Whether or not is was a genuine mistake to send these letters to students and faculty, these letters further prove that advocacy for Palestine receives harsher punishments than advocacy for other issues on UMass campus,” pointing to the sit-in at Whitmore Administration in 2016 that sought to divest from fossil fuels and the occupation and tent city encampment they dubbed Swamy-ville in 2023.

The organizers are continuing to make demands, including that the charges and sanctions against the “Mullins 134” be dropped by the dean of students and code of conduct office, and that any charges and sanctions “UMass 57,” the name for those arrested in October while sitting in at Whitmore, also be dropped.

Other demands from the group include that UMass disclose all direct and indirect partnerships with “war profiteers, defense contractors, and all corporations affiliated with Israel and entities” on the so-called Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions list, that UMass divest from companies like RTX, General Dynamics and DSC Corps and that UMass cut ties with Raytheon and study abroad programs with Israel.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.