Police officers in Knoxville arrest pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Tennessee in June 2024. (Photo: Angela Dennis)

Criminal charges against University of Tennessee students and community members indicted last year for participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus have been dismissed following the completion of 100 hours of community service, the Knox County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Friday.

Eleven protesters were originally charged in June 2024 with criminal trespassing — a Class C misdemeanor — under Tennessee law enacted in 2022 that bans unauthorized camping on public property. The arrests came after a rally held on university grounds.

During the demonstrations, participants called on the University of Tennessee to take several actions, includin

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