LAPD officers in riot gear arrived at USC early Sunday morning to clear a pro-Palestinian encampment.
USC issued an alert saying the LAPD had arrived and that people should leave the center of campus. Officials gave demonstrators the option to leave before being arrested. A group of about 30 protesters left the encampment as LAPD pushed them toward the university’s Jefferson Boulevard entrance.
About 5 a.m., police entered the core of the encampment and began removing tents and set up a perimeter outside the university park area where media and protesters gathered. The operation appeared to be swift-moving and after dismantling tents the encampment appeared empty and quiet by about 5:45 a.m. It was unclear if any arrests had been made.
“Free, free Palestine” demonstrators chanted when they faced police at the perimeter, beating drums as helicopters hovered overhead.
“Please show up to USC right now. They won’t let you in but we can mobilize folks around the perimeter,” said a live video posted by demonstrators to the USC Student Coalition Against Labor Exploitation page on Instagram at 4:30 a.m.
Last month, Los Angeles police arrested 93 people on suspicion of trespassing last week as they cleared an earlier encampment at the center of campus.
But protesters reestablished campsite last weekend. In a campus-wide letter published Friday, USC President Carol Folt indicated that the encampment would not be permitted to remain much longer.
“The university is legally obligated to ensure that students, faculty, and staff can move freely throughout our campus while pursuing their studies, work, and research,” Folt said. “Every part of our campuses, including Alumni Park, must be fully accessible and free from vandalism and harassment.”
The encampment at Alumni Park has grown to at least 40 tents and roughly 50 people, according to student organizers. Despite the arrests, students said there’s currently not a strong police presence surrounding the camp, aside from a few campus safety officers.
However, student journalists at USC Annenberg reported that Nancy Alonzo, assistant director of the USC Village Residential Colleges, visited the edge of the campsite Saturday afternoon and read another letter aloud to members of the student movement.
“The encampment has to go down, as we have mentioned before, your encampment and acts of vandalism and the theft of university property violates policies and the law,” Alonzo reportedly said. “These policies actually exist to protect the safety and security of every member of our community and we must enforce these policies consistently as we have always done. And then we also set up an alternative free speech area that’s available to you all and you can move the encampment there.”
Members of the student coalition said they were not permitted to take a picture of Alonzo’s letter or to receive a physical copy.
Students in the camp, who call themselves the Divest from Death Coalition, said they are not interested in relocating to the designated free speech area, behind the Leavey Library south of W. 34th St.
“Protest locations cannot be dictated by the people in power because then it’s no longer the freedom to protest and assemble,” said the encampment spokesperson, who did not want to identify themselves because of fear of retaliation from the USC administration and students opposed to their activism.
The spokesperson described Saturday evening as “calm” and “chill.” During the interview, students were heard cheering in the background. An Instagram story posted by Trojans for Palestine showed students sitting in Alumni Park on picnic blankets and orange Home Depot paint buckets, clapping and singing “we shall not be moved.”
But protesters were ready for arrest, the spokesperson said.
“There is fear in the air. There is confidence. There is passion. We are emboldened to stand up for the people in Gaza,” they said. “No matter how this occupation goes down, it’s still a win for us because we have caused a disruption and discomfort to the USC administration. We have ended business as usual for the past few weeks.”
The decision to clear the camp on April 24 sparked anger, coming after USC barred valedictorian Asna Tabassum from speaking at its May 10 commencement — a first in the university’s 143-year history — over unspecified safety threats. The move came after pro-Israel groups criticized Tabassum for a link on her Instagram profile directing people to a pro-Palestinian website.
That led officials to cancel commencement all together.
But on Friday, USC announced plans for a “Trojan Family” graduation event at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The event will take place Thursday, May 9 at 8:30 p.m. USC announced on Thursday. The university promises a drone show, fireworks, surprise performances and the Trojan Marching Band. The university also promised a special gift for the class of 2024.
USC is the latest university to take action against camps.
At least 25 people were arrested early Tuesday at Cal Poly Humboldt. The same night at UCLA, a large group wearing black outfits and white masks attacked pro-Palestinian protesters, hurling objects and attempting to tear down barricades surrounding the encampment. The violence prompted criticism over the university’s handling of the protests.
By Thursday, more than 200 had been arrested after police moved onto UCLA’s Westwood campus to push protesters out and begin dismantling the camp.
Pro-Palestinian protesters calling for an end to Israeli military actions in Gaza and divestment from Israel.
Encampments remain in full swing at California campuses, including UC Irvine, Occidental College, Sacramento State, San Francisco State and others.
At least two other Southern California colleges — Chapman University and Cal State L.A. — joined the movement this week. Students at Cal State Long Beach held a rally Thursday, but have said there are no plans for an encampment.