(MENAFN) Protesters at the University of Southern California (USC), demonstrating against Israel's military actions in Gaza, opted to disband their encampment on Sunday following the encirclement by law enforcement officers and the threat of potential arrest.
“The Los Angeles Police Department is clearing the center of UPC (University Park Campus). If you are in the center of campus, please leave. People who don’t leave could be arrested,” the university wrote in a post on social media platform X.
As part of their intervention, police removed certain participating students from the campus center where the demonstrations were taking place. They proceeded to clear out the encampment area, including the removal of tents.
“The encampment at UPC has been cleared. The campus remains closed,” USC further mentioned on X.
Over 2,000 individuals, comprising students and supporters, have been arrested during pro-Palestine demonstrations held across the United States.
These protests advocate for universities to divest from Israel and condemn the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where the death toll has tragically reached nearly 34,700 people. The nationwide demonstrations gained traction particularly last month following an incident at Columbia University, where the New York Police Department was called upon to forcibly remove a group of students staging an encampment on a campus lawn.
Subsequently, more than 100 individuals were arrested. Despite this, the protesters swiftly adapted and initiated another sit-in. However, they faced yet another forceful removal on Tuesday night by law enforcement officers, both from the site of the sit-in and from a building they had occupied.
In addition to the United States, students in various other countries such as Canada, Australia, France, and Egypt have organized demonstrations at universities to express solidarity with Palestine.
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