A university's pro-Palestinian camp is cleared away by LA police

A university's pro-Palestinian camp is cleared away by LA police

Around the pro-Palestinian camp at the University of Southern California, LAPD police officers establish a cordon.

An encampment supporting Palestine has been pulled away by Los Angeles police from the University of Southern California (USC).

According to CBS, the US partner of the BBC, officers in riot gear entered the location early on Sunday and USC threatened to arrest anybody who remained.

USC President Carol Folt complimented the police and campus security for removing the camp "as peacefully and safely as possible" and noted that no arrests had been recorded.

US institutions are bracing for potential disruptions at forthcoming graduation ceremonies after weeks of pro-Palestinian rallies.

Officers erected a cordon around the camp, leaving behind tents and other trash, according to USC internet photos.

Around 100 individuals were living in the campsite until "dozens" of police officers and representatives of the university's Department of Public Safety (DPS) cleaned it out, according to USC student journalist Zain Khan, who spoke with CBS.

"Most of them peacefully left, some of them were chanting," he said.

Later, USC announced on social media that anybody with proper identification might enter the campus, but that "tents and related equipment" were prohibited and could be seized.

Dr. Folt warned in a statement on Sunday that the situation was "spiralling in a dangerous direction" and that the campsite was interfering with examinations and graduation ceremony preparations.

"My goals were to prioritise safety and go back our campus and our surrounding communities to normalcy," she said.

"We were determined to ensure our learners could finish their exams without further disruption while ensuring USC could host the commencement celebrations that those who graduated have worked hard to earn."

According to CBS, Dr. Folt verified earlier this week that USC has initiated disciplinary investigations against an undisclosed number of people who "violated our policies and the law".

The hearings come after demonstrators and police battled on campus at USC last month, leading to the arrest of ninety-three persons.

Only a few days have passed since riot police dismantled a comparable camp at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Now, the USC camp is being cleared away.

112 protestors were taken into custody by New York police earlier this week after Columbia University requested assistance in emptying the Manhattan campus. Subsequently, the police verified that a cop unintentionally discharged his firearm while clearing out.

When USC announced in mid-April that it would postpone a graduation address by a valedictorian Muslim student due to unidentified security concerns, there was also unrest on campus.

Following accusations that her social media presence was antisemitic, the decision was made.

Subsequently, the primary graduation ceremony scheduled on May 10th was canceled by the university. There are still more graduation activities scheduled for this week on campus.

Protesters have shaken US campuses for weeks, demanding academic institutions to financially withdraw from Israel and businesses that stand to profit from the conflict as well as a truce in the Gaza War.

Since the demonstrations began at Columbia University last month, there have been roughly 140 demonstrations at colleges in 45 states and Washington, DC, according to a count by the BBC.

Over 2,000 individuals have been arrested by police at protest camps and student demonstrations throughout the country in the last two weeks.