Police Surround Pro-Palestine Student Encampment at University of Southern California: World News

Police surrounded a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Southern California, days before commencement events were set to begin on the Los Angeles campus. The university, assisted by the Los Angeles Police Department, cleared the area as protesters loudly chanted “Free Palestine” inside the encampment.

Protesters were given 15 minutes to leave the area before facing arrest, according to student-led campus publication Annenberg Media. The encampment had restarted after 93 people were initially arrested on April 24, with attention turning to arrests at other universities.

The University of Southern California had been the subject of student protests over the war in Gaza and the administration’s decision to cancel a commencement speech by a Muslim student who expressed support for Palestinians. The university cited safety concerns after receiving threats, leading to the cancellation of the main-stage commencement.

The clashes at USC were part of a larger trend of protests at universities nationwide over the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. At least 61 incidents of arrests were recorded since April 18, with more than 2,400 people arrested on 47 campuses. Schools like Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State, and Northeastern University were bracing for protests during commencement ceremonies.

The protests stem from the conflict that started when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, leading to a devastating offensive by Israel in Gaza. The demonstrations at universities reflect a growing student movement calling for divestment from companies supporting the war in Gaza.