Protesters abandon camp at USC
Students leave after police surround them, threaten arrests
Students protesting the war in Gaza abandoned their camp at the University of Southern California early Sunday after being surrounded by police and threatened with arrest, while Northeastern University’s commencement ended peacefully at Boston’s Fenway Park.
Developments in both places were being watched closely after scores of arrests last month — more than 90 people at USC in Los Angeles and about 100 at Northeastern in Boston.
Dozens of Los Angeles Police Department officers arrived about 4 a.m. at USC to assist campus safety officers. The university had warned of arrests on social media and in person. Video showed some protesters packing up and leaving, while officers formed lines to push others away from the camp as it emptied out. The university said there were no reports of any arrests.
USC President Carol Folt said it was time to draw a line because “the occupation was spiraling in a dangerous direction” with areas of campus blocked and people being harassed.
“The operation was peaceful,” Folt wrote in an update. “Campus is opening, students are returning to prepare for finals and commencement setup is in full swing.”
USC earlier canceled its main graduation ceremony while allowing other commencement activities to continue.
Across town at the University of California, Los Angeles, officials announced the creation of a new chief safety officer position to oversee campus security operations. The announcement Sunday came after UCLA was criticized for its handling of demonstrations that culminated in a mob attacking a pro-Palestinian student encampment last week.
At the Northeastern commencement Sunday, some students waved small Palestinian and Israeli flags, but were outnumbered by those waving the flags of India and the United States, among others. Undergraduate student speaker Rebecca Bamidele drew brief cheers when she called for peace in Gaza.
At one point, a student wearing a kaffiyeh wrapped around his head and a shirt reading “DIVEST” ran up to the stage before being forcibly removed by police and dragged out of the seating area.
The dean of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Kellee Tsai, addressed the interruption, reading off what appeared to be a prepared note.
“We respect your passion and opinions, we respect your right to voice them, in the appropriate setting,” Tsai said. “This event honors our graduates and distinguished guests and is a celebration of their achievements. Out of respect for your community and honored guests, I ask that you let us continue with this event.”
At Ohio State University, there were fewer interruptions as an estimated 70,000 people watched 12,000 students graduate at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. Some student groups had called for demonstrations, but the only protests were quiet individual ones: Several students decorated their mortar boards with pro-Palestinian designs, carried the Palestinian flag and wore kaffiyehs.
The Associated Press has tallied about 2,500 people arrested at about 50 campuses since April 18, based on its reporting and statements from universities and law enforcement.
VIRGINIA STUDENTS PROTEST
In Charlottesville, Va., student demonstrators began their protest on a lawn outside the school chapel Tuesday. Video on Saturday showed police in riot gear and holding shields lined up on campus, while protesters chanted “Free Palestine.”
As police moved in, students were pushed to the ground, pulled by their arms and sprayed with a chemical irritant, Laura Goldblatt, an assistant professor who has been helping the demonstrators, told The Washington Post. The university said protesters were told that tents were banned under school policy and were asked to remove them.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares told Fox News on Sunday that the police response was justified because students had been warned repeatedly to leave, were violating the school’s conduct code and that outsiders who were not students provided protesters with supplies like wooden barriers.
“We’ve seen folks that are not students show up in riot gear with bullhorns to direct the protesters on how to flank our officers,” Miyares said.
He said some had put bear spray into water bottles and thrown them at officers.