A Pro-Palestinian Protest at USC's Alumni Park
A Pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Southern California's Alumni Park that started Wednesday morning grew in size and intensity by the afternoon after campus police confronted the crowd and ordered the dismantling of the encampment.
Tensions grew after officers forced the protesters to take down their tents and a protester was detained.
The encampment went up at the park Wednesday morning, similar to other pro-Palestinian encampments that have been part of other college campuses across the nation.
The group issued a list of demands, including university divestment from any organizations that "profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine."
Campus Department of Public Safety officers visited the encampment, instructed students not to hang signs, flags or other materials from trees and posts in the park, and warned them not to use megaphones.
Students at times broke into chants of "Free Palestine," and when the student was detained, they chanted, "Let him go."
The man was eventually released after protesters surrounded a USC Department of Public Safety Vehicle.
The Los Angeles Police Department has also responded to USC to offer assistance, though the protest remained peaceful after the confrontation.
The USC administration issued a written campus update at 2 p.m., stating that security personnel had repeatedly asked protesters to remove prohibited items, such as tents, and relocate to a different area, but they refused.
The administration also noted that many of the participants in the protest did not seem to be affiliated with USC.
"We have established policies regarding the limits on the time, place, and manner of free expression," the university administration stated. "These policies include a ban on setting up tents or encampments, using loudspeakers, displaying signs on poles or stakes, and disrupting classes and other essential university functions."
Due to the protesters' refusal to move to a compliant location, their confrontational behavior, and threats to campus safety, the administration decided to close the campus gates to prevent the protest from growing further.
"Until further notice, we are restricting unauthorized visitors from entering the campus. Individuals with valid USC identification or a verifiable business purpose will still be allowed to access campus facilities, attend classes, and participate in activities. This process aligns with our existing evening and weekend campus entry protocols," USC explained in a statement.
At around 5 p.m., the LAPD instructed the protesters to disperse, giving them a 10-minute warning to leave the area or face potential arrest. Numerous officers were present as the demonstrators began to disperse.
"The Los Angeles Police Department is clearing the center of the UPC campus. If you are in the center of campus, please leave; LAPD will be arresting people who don't disperse," USC tweeted at 5:50 p.m.
Many stayed in the area, locking arms as LAPD officers in riot gear marched closer to them. Others took out their phones and appeared to record what was happening as police started to surround the remaining demonstrators.
Officers incrementally moved closer to the protesters as they continually refused to leave Alumni Park. Demonstrators seemed to throw water at officers as LAPD continued to move into the crowd, detaining at least one person in the process.
After more protesters left, officers placed demonstrators in handcuffs one by one instead of detaining all of the remaining protesters at once. Many of them chanted as officers detained multiple people. The protesters being detained seemed to fully cooperate with police.
However, others chanted, "Let them go" and "Hands off students," as officers led the detainees away to a nearby courtyard. There, protesters sat down at a makeshift command center as officers filled out paperwork.
At the same time, some of the protesters moved away from the campus and blocked the intersection of Hoover Street and Jefferson Boulevard before marching on Exposition Boulevard. Marchers eventually left the roadway and gathered at an entrance to Exposition Park.
The actions of the university have been strongly criticized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
"It is deeply concerning that USC's response to students demonstrating peacefully in solidarity with Palestine is forcible suppression of free speech and assembly. This mirrors a nationwide trend of colleges and universities attempting to censor pro-Palestine advocacy on campuses," the organization said in a statement.
The Jewish Federation Los Angeles expressed alarm over the demonstrations.
"The protests taking place on campuses around the country are alarming. Antisemitism, hate, and intolerance towards Jewish students has no place on any campus," the organization said.
Today's protest comes as USC made national headlines in recent weeks over its decision to bar pro-Palestinian valedictorian Asna Tabassum from speaking during the May 10 commencement ceremony.
USC officials said the decision was made not for political reasons but over safety concerns. Organizations, including the Muslim Public Affairs Council, CAIR-LA, and the ACLU of Southern California, have denounced the decision and demanded the university reverse course and allow Tabassum to speak.
Then, on Friday, USC canceled some outside speakers and honorees during the commencement program. Filmmaker Jon M. Chu had been slated as the main commencement speaker.
This is a developing story.
