LOS ANGELES, May 6 — Los Angeles police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Southern California without making arrests yesterday following turmoil at universities across the United States over the Israel-Hamas war.
The intervention at USC followed a raucous day on Saturday when dozens of people were arrested were arrested at a number of US campuses.
Various US universities with graduation ceremonies being held on Sunday braced for potential protests on campuses after the previous day.
Police officers entered the USC encampment at about 5am local time and worked with the university’s Department of Public Safety to remove tents as dozens of student demonstrators peacefully left the area, police said.
USC President Carol Folt said in a statement “the occupation was spiraling in a dangerous direction over the last several days,” leading her to request police intervention. She said the camp was cleared peacefully, without arrests, in 64 minutes.
In an intervention at USC last month, police arrested 93 people when demonstrators surrendered without resistance.
The relative calm at USC stood in contrast to confrontations at dozens of campuses across the country where police have arrested more than 2,000 people.