Police clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Southern California as students attacked a police car with a detained activist in it and refused to move.
Authorities broke up a tent protest on the Los Angeles campus after students opened their own encampment in Gaza on Wednesday.
Video shows police drew their batons as they arrested a protester wearing a fluorescent green vest and black mask, while others swarmed them and tried to intervene.
The pro-Palestinian activists shouted “shame on you” and “let him go” repeatedly at the officers as they led him to the police vehicle.
Unable to move his car, police released the detainee, who then signaled protesters to return to the park.
Police arrested a protester wearing a fluorescent green vest and black mask, while others swarmed them and tried to intervene.
Pro-Palestinian activists shouted “shame on you” and “let him go” repeatedly at the officers as they carried him to the police vehicle.
Protesters threw objects at officers sent to disperse them, including a rock, water bottles and water, NBC Los Angeles reported.
Protesters indicated they had no intention of leaving as they linked arms to create a human chain and continued their chants.
USC sent notification that the Los Angeles Police Department was requested to help clear the campus around 5:50 p.m. PT on Wednesday.
“If you’re in the center of campus, leave; The LAPD will arrest individuals who fail to disperse,” the university said.
USC Provost Andrew Guzman sent a campus-wide email saying the protesters “threaten the safety of our officers and the campus community,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
“We have well-established policies regarding the limits of time, place and manner of free expression. These include prohibiting the erection of tents or other encampments, the use of loudspeakers, signs on poles or stakes, and the disruption of classes and other essential university functions ” said Guzman.
“(Protesters were) repeatedly asked by security personnel to remove their tents and other prohibited items as well as move to a compliant location. In each case, the protesters refused. Their actions escalated to confrontation and threatened the safety of our officers and the campus community.
Unable to move his car, police released the detainee, who then signaled protesters to return to the park.
USC sent out notification that the Los Angeles Police Department was requested to help clean up the campus.
The protests come just over a week after the university announced its decision to ban the valedictorian from speaking at this year’s May 10 graduation.
Asna Tabassum, 21, was banned for openly expressing pro-Palestinian support, leading to her being labeled an anti-Semite.
The decision sparked fury on campus — with fellow students accusing the university of censorship and 130 faculty members signing a letter demanding to hear him speak at graduation.
Pro-Gaza groups have visited universities across the US and clashed with police and Jewish counter-protesters, with furious demonstrators spotted on Wednesday at the University of Texas at Austin, Harvard, UC Berkeley , Brown and NYU.
The rally on the Austin campus was organized by the university’s Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSJ) chapter and quickly descended into anarchy.
The group said they were inspired by their “comrades” at Yale and Columbia University, where in-person classes were canceled due to unrest sparked by the “Gaza encampments.”
Police arrested at least four activists – who broke down in tears when they were handcuffed – after warning them they risked criminal charges if they did not disperse.
A photographer covering the protest for local Fox affiliate Fox 7 Austin was among those arrested after being caught in a scuffle between law enforcement and students.
Trying to stay ahead of the protests, Harvard University locked most of the gates to its famous Harvard Yard before classes Monday and limited access to those with I.D. school.
Authorities broke up a tent protest on the Los Angeles campus after students opened their own encampment in Gaza.
USC security guards attempt to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters, dismantle tents
Protesters threw objects at officers sent to disperse them, including a rock, water bottles and water.
The school also posted signs warning against setting up tents or tables on campus without permission. Those efforts did not stop protesters from setting up a 14-tent camp Wednesday, after a rally against the university’s suspension of the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee.
The situation at Columbia University in New York remained tense, with campus officials saying talks with pro-Palestinian protesters would continue for another 48 hours.
University President Minouche Shafik had set until midnight to reach an agreement on evacuating a protest encampment on campus, but the school extended negotiations, saying it was making “significant progress”.
The student protesters had pledged to dismantle and remove a significant number of tents, the Ivy League university said in a statement.
Wednesday morning, the camp seemed calm and a little smaller than the day before.
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