Tensions rose Saturday on the USC campus after pro-Palestinian protesters returned with tents and reestablished an encampment at Alumni Park, where 93 people were arrested Wednesday.
They beat drums and put up banners reading “Free Palestine”, “We are all Gaza” and “Stop financing genocide”.
Shortly after 8 p.m., the university announced it was closing its main campus to the public.
“Due to disruptions, the University Park campus is temporarily closed except for residents,” USC said thethe social media site formerly known as Twitter.
The school said the disruption was occurring in the center of campus and urged people to “please avoid this area until further notice.”
The university’s Department of Public Safety sent text message alerts to students saying the campus “was temporarily closed except for residents.”
Los Angeles police, who had issued a tactical alert Saturday evening, sent dozens of police cars to the campus Saturday evening. They arrived with lights flashing and students said the officers had handcuffs and restraints.
Later, students said they saw police leaving the area, while dozens of protesters ate dinner and settled into their tents.
“Things have been calm. Nothing went wrong. We expect it, but it’s been quiet,” Anusha S., a journalism student who live-blogged updates for USC Annenberg Media, said in an interview.
The student journalists reported that LAPD officers deployed yellow tape next to the Seeley G. Mudd building and said the area was being transformed into a potential “command post.”
Late Saturday evening, the LAPD confirmed that its “tactical alert” had ended.
The protests are aimed at supporting Palestinians in Gaza who have been suffering since Israel launched a retaliatory war in the territory in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and took another 240 hostage. Gaza health authorities say Israeli forces have killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, and the United Nations says about 2 million civilians now live in famine-like conditions.
Students who belong to a group called the “Divest from Death Coalition” have made demands including an immediate ceasefire, divestment from Israeli companies and protection of free speech on campus.
Earlier this week, a masked USC student who identified as Jewish said at a news conference with other coalition members: “We will continue to call for an end to the ties of USC with Israel and investments in militarism abroad. »
The USC campus has been rocked by bitter controversy over the cancellation of a graduation speech slot for valedictorian Asna Tabassum and the subsequent cancellation of the “main stage” commencement ceremony “.
Amid protests, a university symbol was vandalized on Saturday. Photos appeared on social media showing the words “Say No to Genocide” in bright red on the granite pedestal of the university’s iconic Tommy Trojan statue, and a video seemed to catch the spray paint just as it was happening.
(In a initial photo Published Saturday afternoon, the word genocide was missing the final “e”. This was apparently added later.)
A man who witnessed the marking recorded a video of a masked woman leaving the area. As she walked away, he followed her and asked, “Why did you tag Tommy Trojan, huh?”
She raised her middle finger and said, “Because I can.” »
He replied, “No, that’s called vandalism. »
“I don’t care,” she said as she walked away.
Times staff writer Jaweed Kaleem contributed to this report.
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