In a late-night operation, Los Angeles police dismantled a Palestinian solidarity encampment at the University of Southern California, triggering further protests and no arrests according to USC President, Carol Folt.
In the early hours, police equipped with riot gear dismantled a Palestinian solidarity encampment at the University of Southern California (USC). The operation, which involved approximately 100 officers from the Los Angeles Police Department, took place as anti-war student demonstrators, who were part of the encampment, were sleeping in their tents. The raid was met with chants of “Free, free Palestine!” by the protesters.
USC President Carol Folt remarked that the operation to clear the encampment was executed peacefully and without any arrests. She reiterated the university’s policy of zero tolerance towards illegal encampments. This incident was not isolated, as it followed a previous clearance at USC weeks earlier where 93 anti-war protesters were arrested.
The students had established the encampment to pressure the university to divest from companies with ties to Israel, amid the ongoing deadly conflict between Israel and Gaza. Post-raid, the university faced backlash, with faculty supporting the protesters through a walkout and over 1,500 alumni expressing their backing for the ‘USC Divest from Death’ coalition by signing a letter.
