In a move to disperse a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at the University of Southern California (USC), the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) declared an unlawful assembly on Wednesday evening. Protesters who refused to comply with the dispersal order were arrested, with reports indicating that approximately 30 individuals were taken into custody. The protest, which had been ongoing throughout the day at USC’s Alumni Park, featured protesters erecting banners, pitching tents, and expressing their opposition to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The police intervention came after a day of demonstrations, with officers in riot gear arriving on campus around 5 p.m. to begin dispersing the gathered crowds. The protest is part of a broader movement on college campuses across the country, with students expressing their solidarity with the Palestinian cause through sit-ins and other actions. The USC protests, which included both students and off-campus participants, were sparked by the university’s decision to bar a pro-Palestinian valedictorian from addressing the main graduation ceremony.
In response to the protests, USC closed its campus at approximately 1:45 p.m., allowing only students to enter. A dispersal order was issued shortly after, leading to the arrival of LAPD officers and the subsequent arrests. Some protesters were seen leaving the campus and blocking traffic on nearby streets before being dispersed by police. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions and polarized opinions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, with college campuses becoming a platform for student activism and expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
