Twenty-five people were arrested Saturday for trespassing at the University of Virginia as police clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters who refused to remove tents from the campus.
Students across the US have rallied or set up tents at dozens of universities to protest the months-long war in Gaza and call on US President Joe Biden, who has supported Israel, to do more to stop the bloodshed in Gaza. They also demand their schools divest from companies that support Israel’s government, such as arms suppliers.
The University of Virginia said in a news release that protesters had violated several university policies including setting up tents on Friday night and using amplified sound.
On Saturday, a video from WVAW-TV showed police wearing heavy gear and holding shields lined up on the campus in Charlottesville. Protesters chanted “Free Palestine,” and university police said on the social platform X that an “unlawful assembly” had been declared in the area.
In a statement, school president Jim Ryan said demonstrators were told the tents and canopies they erected were prohibited under school policy and were asked to remove them. Virginia State Police were asked to help with enforcement when attempts by university police “to resolve the situation were met with physical confrontation and attempted assault.”
