University of Southern California officials closed their main campus and brought in Los Angeles police to tear down an encampment Sunday as pro-Palestinian protests continued to sweep across the nation’s universities − and law enforcement is increasingly called in to disband the demonstrations.
The encampment on the school’s University Park Campus was cleared early Sunday after scores of protesters pitched tents and erected banners at Alumni Park. An hour before police arrived, a warning was issued to protesters.
“UPC has been closed as a result of significant activity at the center of campus,” the school said on social media. “If you are in the center of campus, please leave. People who don’t leave will be arrested. We will issue another alert when it is clear to return.”
USC’s Senior Vice President of Communications Joel Curran issued a statement saying the police action was peaceful. USC President Carol Folt echoed that the “operation was peaceful with no arrests.”
“With no resolution in sight, I requested the LAPD to assist (USC’s Department of Public Safety) in removing the encampment as peacefully and safely as possible,” Folt said in a statement Sunday.
It was the second police crackdown on campus in less than two weeks. On April 24, police cleared an encampment and arrested 93 people on suspicion of trespassing.
The protests target Israel’s offensive in Gaza, launched after a Hamas-led attack Oct. 7 on Israeli border communities that killed almost 1,200 people and over 200 more taken hostage. More than 34,600 Palestinais have died in the Israeli assault, authorities in Gaza say.
Pro-Palestinian protests stretch onafter arrests, police crackdowns: Latest updates
Developments:
∎ The University of California, Los Angeles, announced on Sunday that it will return to regular operations Monday and “plans to remain this way through the rest of the week.” The school had canceled classes last week after counter-protesters attacked the encampment.
∎ At the University of Texas, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered Sunday for a planned protest for May Day to call on the school to divest from weapons manufacturing companies that contribute to Israel, the Austin American-Statesman, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. More than a dozen organizations came together to plan the protest to show unity between workers’ rights and Palestinian rights.
∎ At Chicago’s DePaul University, Chicago police formed a line Sunday to keep separate a pro-Palestinian protest and counter-demonstrators who arrived on the scene.
∎ Police in Charlottesville took apart an encampment at the University of Virginia on Saturday, making about two dozen arrests.
∎ Dozens of demonstrators were arrested outside the Art Institute of Chicago on Saturday after they “barricaded and locked the gates to fortify their position,” Chicago police said.
∎ University of Michigan students interrupted commencement with a pro-Palestinian protest Saturday, the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro delivered remarks and paused twice during the protest to acknowledge the importance of free speech and peaceful protests as American values. No arrests were made, officials said.
