Early Sunday morning, a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of the University of Southern California was cleared by law enforcement in riot gear. The Los Angeles Police Department, assisted by the university's Department of Public Safety, moved in to enforce a dispersal order previously issued to the protesters, CBS News Los Angeles reported. No arrests were made as the grounds were cleared of tents and signs, leaving the area vacant where protesters were once present.
Live images captured the officers forming a perimeter and pushing out the remnants of an overnight protest. Warning statements had been released on social media by USC, urging those within the encampment's vicinity to vacate or risk arrest. According to a KABC report, students received a message around 5:15 a.m., which stated, "If you are in the center of campus, please leave. People who don't leave will be arrested."
In a statement obtained by CBS News Los Angeles, Joel Curran, Senior Vice President of Communications with USC, expressed gratitude towards the LAPD for swiftly and safely assisting in the encampment removal. "We want to thank LAPD for assisting DPS in clearing the encampment and restoring normalcy for students and community as quickly and safely as possible," Curran said. The action on Sunday follows an incident on April 24, where 93 individuals were arrested during a confrontation at the same location.
The USC campus has faced a series of protests following the administration's decision to cancel a commencement speech by valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, a Muslim student vocal in her support for Palestinians. The decision prompted concerns for safety due to received threats, and criticism, particularly from some Jewish groups. Subsequently, the university called off the entire main-stage commencement ceremony planned for May 10. However, as KABC notes, graduation ceremonies for individual schools and colleges will continue as scheduled, with campus access being largely restricted.
Student journalists reported a peaceful departure of protesters, despite the strong police presence. "The LAPD, they were being a little aggressive but the protesters left peacefully," Taylor Contarino, a student reporter, told Eyewitness News. The campus atmosphere had remained largely calm since the initial arrests, with subsequent attention turning towards UCLA. As the green space at USC was cleared, live video showed police ensuring no one re-entered the site, which previously hosted dozens of tents and was decorated with messages in support of Palestinians.
