The Los Angeles Police Department reported that 93 individuals were taken into custody for alleged trespassing during the protests held at the University of Southern California on Wednesday.
The captain of the Los Angeles Police, Kelly Muniz, stated that a group had violated the university’s orders, leading to their arrests. Additionally, one individual was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, as reported by CNN. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among protesters or officers.
Protesters gathered at USC’s Alumni Park were instructed by the Department of Public Safety to disperse or face arrest for trespassing. Tensions rose when some protesters refused to comply with the orders to remove their tents and other prohibited items. Subsequently, the university closed its campus while the LAPD conducted arrests.
House Speaker Mike Johnson called for the resignation of Columbia University’s president amidst ongoing protests sparked by pro-Palestinian sentiments at various US universities. Protesters at Columbia University demanded the severing of ties with Israeli academic institutions and complete divestment from entities linked to Israel in light of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Speaker Johnson stressed the importance of restoring order on campus and suggested that if the university president cannot achieve this, she should resign. However, student reactions to this call for resignation varied, with some indicating a willingness to continue collaborating with her. Over thirty arrests were made during protests at the University of Texas at Austin.
The movement is urging universities to sever financial connections with Israel and divest from corporations that they claim are facilitating its harsh military campaign in Gaza. Since October 7, when militants from Hamas launched assaults on southern Israel that killed 1,139 people and took many hostages, at least 34,262 Palestinians have perished in Israeli offensives on the blockaded territory.
