On October 21, 2024, Natalie Nicole Rath was arrested by the University of Minnesota (U of M) police department and charged with rioting, trespassing, and damage to property.
On the same day, umnsds posted on Instagram: "SUPPORT STUDENTS OCCUPYING MORRILL HALL...to demand that the University of Minnesota DIVEST from the genocidal Israel and all weapon companies complicit...#palestine #divest #intifada." A flyer included in the post read: "UMN COMMUNITY OCCUPPIES [sic] MORRILL HALL / RENAMES IT HALIMY HALL..."
The building takeover was led [slide 1] by U of M's chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (umnsds) and supported by U of M's chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (sjpumn), which posted on its Instagram: "UMN STUDENTS OCCUPY HISTORIC MORRILL HALL FOR PALESTINE 
...UMN STUDENTS DEMAND COMPLETE DIVESTMENT FROM ISRAELI WEAPONS AND BONDS, ISRAELI UNIVERSITIES AND WEAPONS STOCK...LIBERATION IS NEAR !!"
The post included a video captioned: "UMN STUDENTS HAVE OCCUPIED MORRILL HALL !! !! !!" and showed a small group of SJP activists supporting the building takeover, led by a woman wearing a red keffiyeh and shouting into a megaphone while pacing back and forth in front of a large, green banner with white text that read: "MONEY FOR EDUCATION / NOT FOR BOMBS & OCCUPATION."
On October 21, 2024, following the arrests, U of M issued a statement about the protest and arrests, saying: "Protesters...entered Morrill Hall" and "began spray painting, including covering lenses of all internal security cameras, breaking interior windows, and barricading the building’s entrance and exit points...A number of staff were working in the building at the time, and several people were not able to exit...for an extended period of time. To ensure the safety of U of M employees in the building who were unable to exit, and in light of property damage sustained to the building, University of Minnesota Police Department [UMPD] was called to the scene...With necessary support from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, UMPD...arrested 11 people..."
On October 30, 2024, Campus Reform reported that Natalie Nicole Rath, age 20, was one of 11 "anti-Israel agitators" arrested "on charges of damage to property, riot, and trespassing" after occupying Morrill Hall at U of M.
On November 17, 2024, a few weeks after her arrest, Rath posted a series of photos on Instagram, one of which featured [slide 1] the words "FREE PALESTINE," and another that featured [slide 3] a poster that read: "IT IS RIGHT TO REBEL" taped to the build's glass door.
On November 28, 2024, umnsds posted on Instagram: "U OF MN HALIMY HALL STUDENTS SUSPENDED FOR UP TO 2.5 YEARS!" The post continued: "...the students were found guilty on all charges...As punishment, the administration has decided that all 7 students must pay over $5,500 each in restitution and will be suspended starting January 1st..."
The post also stated that: "...the University "intends to withhold the transcripts of those arrested" and stated that "students have to do 20 hours of community service and write a 5-10 page essay about the 'difference between vandalism and protest.'"
On November 29, 2024, after her arrest and suspension, Rath posted on X: "so who wants to drop out w me."
On December 9, 2024, the Minnesota Daily reported that suspension of the seven students, saying: "During this suspension, SDS members will not have access to their official transcript and credit records, making them unable to transfer without forfeiting all previously earned credits." The report clarified that the requirement to make financial restitution and to do community service was necessary in order to be readmitted.
