Following a large anti-Israel rally on Wednesday that resulted in 93 arrests, the University of Southern California announced that its campus will remain closed “until further notice”.
The Los Angeles Police Department arrived on campus at 4 p.m. when agitators refused to leave despite the university’s request, according to Capt. Kelly Muniz on X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday night.
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After hours of clashes with campus police and the LAPD, the protest ended with 93 people detained for trespassing.
We have not yet determined if they will receive a citation. If and when it is considered a misdemeanor offense, “They are going, and they will go through the booking process,” Muniz said, adding that the process is “long.”
Muniz stated that an altercation occurred in a sector of the protest area, resulting in one arrest for assault with a deadly weapon. She did not specify what the weapon was or provide any other information about the incident, but she did say that the remaining agitators in the area dispersed following the arrest.
Muniz responded that she was not aware of any injuries to agitators or officers during the rally.
At 11:58 p.m., the university reported that the demonstration had ended but that campus would remain closed “until further notice.”
“The protest at the UPC has concluded. However, the campus will stay closed until further notice. “Students, staff, and those conducting business on campus may enter with correct identification,” USC stated on X.
The “Gaza Solidarity Occupation,” which began Wednesday morning, was one of many such actions taking place on college campuses across America.
In a message to the campus community Wednesday afternoon, USC Provost Andrew Guzman stated that while the university respects students’ freedom of expression, there are standards that must be fulfilled for a demonstration to take place.
“We have well-established policies regarding limits on the time, place, and manner of free expression,” Guzman said in a statement. “These include a prohibition on erecting tents or other encampments, the use of loudspeakers, signs on poles or stakes, and the disruption of classes and other essential university functions.”
He added that many individuals unaffiliated with the institution appeared to be part of the protest outside Doheny Library, which is “in the center of academic buildings.”
When security urged the agitators “repeatedly” to remove their tents and other forbidden goods and then relocate to a “compliant location,” they refused, prompting the university to call the LAPD for help.
“Their actions have escalated to include acts of vandalism and defacing campus buildings and structures, as well as physical confrontation that threatens the safety of our officers and campus community,” Guzman said in a statement.
He explained that the decision to “restrict the growth of the protest and keep the rest of campus calm” led to the closure of the school gates to illegal visitors “until further notice.” The closure does not affect students, staff, or others with proper USC identification.
Guzman concluded the letter by reminding students that USC “rejects hateful speech that causes harm to others.”
“In these difficult times, we urge the Trojan Family to remember that every member of our community deserves respect and has the right to be safe on campus, attend classes, and participate in other campus activities without fear of harassment or bullying.” Everyone should make it a priority to treat one another with respect and concern,” he added.
