Eight people were arrested for fighting in a Lincoln Hall lobby Tuesday night.

Because a group of two or more people were involved in the fight, the eight students were charged with mob action, said Lt. Todd Henert of the University Police.

Henert said a girl from one group began arguing with a girl from another group.

“Words over the disagreement escalated into the fight,” he said.

Lincoln Hall staff alerted the UP, who arrived shortly on scene. Officers arrested Ashley N. Robinson, 19, of Chicago; Dernea N. Thomas, 20, of Markham; Donesha L. Fox, 19, of Chicago; Erica L. Griffin, 19, of Maywood; Johnnice A. Stapleton, 19, of Chicago; Lastarr C. Gholston, 18, of Chicago; Marcenia L. Smith, 19, of Chicago; and Tiara L. Brown, 18, of Chicago for mob action. All of the persons arrested were booked at the NIU Police Department, where they posted bond and were later released. No one required medical attention.

This is not the first time the UP has filed this kind of charge.

“We’ve filed mob action charges in the past for similar types of behavior,” Henert said.

This semester has seen its fair share of fights, one of which was posted on YouTube. Last month, the lobbies in Grant were closed briefly due to a fight, while the service drive of Lincoln Hall was the site of a fight that ended with multiple arrests.

“We’re seeing more fights than we’ve had in the previous year,” Henert said. “We’re certainly addressing these instances in an effort to curtail this kind of behavior in the future.”

Henert said those students in fights will not only have to deal with the criminal system, but NIU’s judicial system as well. Brian Hemphill, vice president of student affairs, said he was very disappointed by the recent rash of fights.

“As an institution, we have a zero tolerance policy as it relates to fights in the residence halls,” Hemphill said. “Students who engage in this behavior will be removed from residence halls.”

Both Henert and Hemphill said many resources exist on campus for students to use if find they themselves in conflict. Judicial Affairs has mediation services, while the counseling center and the office of the Ombudsman are available as well. In addition, there are staff in the residence halls that are trained to work with students.

“There’s so many alternatives for students in conflict to reach out and utilize,” Hemphill said.

The Illinois criminal code lists several definitions of mob action, with different penalties. This kind of mob action is a Class C misdemeanor. If found guilty, the persons could each face a fine up to $1,500 and 30 days in jail. They could also serve between 30 and 120 hours of community service.