The Los Angeles Police Department removed a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Southern California early Sunday morning, pushing several dozen people out of the campus gates in the latest crackdown on student protesters. The encampment had been set up nearly two weeks prior in Alumni Park on U.S.C.’s campus, leading to the arrest of 93 individuals when police were called to clear the area. However, the protest returned soon after, prompting the police to clear the encampment for the second time. The university has been facing turmoil following its decision not to allow its valedictorian, who is Muslim, to speak at graduation due to security concerns. This decision was met with accusations from a group supporting the U.S.-Israel relationship, claiming that the valedictorian traffics antisemitic rhetoric.
On the morning of the police operation, officers in riot gear entered the campus before dawn, pushing about 25 protesters out of the metal gates. The quad where the encampment had been was left littered with blankets, coolers, and overturned canopies. Some tents were still standing, barricaded by wooden pallets and adorned with Palestinian flags and messages. Signs taped to trees conveyed messages such as the right of every Palestinian to live and calls for disclosure, divestment, and defense. In response to the tightening of security measures, only individuals with a university ID were allowed onto the private campus, and U.S.C. President Carol Folt warned of consequences for those violating campus rules.
In a message to students and others, Carol Folt stated that although the university valued freedom of expression, the protest had reached a tipping point. She emphasized that while free speech and assembly are valued, they do not include the right to obstruct equal access to campus, damage property, or incite violence. The university had begun the disciplinary process for those who infringed upon laws or campus policies. Protesters viewed the police operation as an unnecessary escalation and continue to demand that the university cease-fire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as disclose its investments and divest from companies supporting Israel and U.S. colonialism, apartheid, genocide, and violence.
The removal of the protest encampment at U.S.C. comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the University of California, Los Angeles, over its handling of protests. In one incident, police took hours to intervene as individuals wearing pro-Israel slogans attacked a pro-Palestinian encampment on that campus. Subsequently, about 200 people were arrested during a protest there the following night. The incidents at both universities reflect the polarizing debates surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as the challenges faced by campus authorities in managing protests and ensuring the safety and security of students and staff. The actions taken by U.S.C. and U.C.L.A. in responding to these protests underscore the complex issues surrounding free speech, protest rights, and campus discipline. As tensions continue to escalate, it remains crucial for universities and law enforcement to balance the protection of individuals’ rights with the maintenance of safety and order on campus.
