Police sweep onto UCLA campus, remove pro-Palestinian encampment: Live updates

LOS ANGELES − Police in riot gear swept onto the UCLA campus Thursday and tore down makeshift barricades and a pro-Palestinian protest encampment that had drawn hundreds of protesters and was attacked by pro-Israeli counterprotesters earlier this week.

The predawn crackdown at UCLA marked the latest flashpoint for protests scattered across U.S. colleges amid mounting anger over Israel's war in Gaza and growing impatience on the part of school administrators to allow disruptions they say make their campuses unsafe.

At UCLA, officers dressed in riot gear made several arrests and scuffled with student protesters who had enforced a strict code of no violence throughout the protest that drew several hundred people. By dawn, police had cleared the plaza of the tents and plywood walls that had formed a protest camp for a week, but a smaller group of protesters remained assembled just outside that area. 

California Highway Patrol spokesperson Alejandro Rubio told CNN 132 arrests were made on the UCLA campus during an operation involving about 250 officers.

Political science major Jonathan Giang, 22, was sitting on steps near where the encampment had taken place. He had heard that students were re-grouping before heading back to set the protest back up again but said he hadn't seen much evidence of that.

Giang said he had mixed feelings about the end of the protests. He was sorry to see the police clamp down but was also relieved it was over. 

"At least I know my friends aren't getting hurt any more,"Giang said. "I know students are having issues getting through midterms and classes. Now maybe things can go back to a sense of normal."    

UCLA canceled Wednesday classes after counterdemonstrators battering a makeshift barricade around the enampment. Chancellor Gene Block, who blamed the violence on a "group of instigators," said the student conduct process has been initiated and could lead to disciplinary action including suspension or expulsion.

All in-person classes were required to pivot to remote learning Thursday and Friday, the school announced.

The protests stem from concerns for civilian deaths during the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza that began Oct. 7 when about 1,200 people in southern Israel were killed and more than 200 taken hostage in a Hamas-led attack. The Israeli retaliatory assault has killed nearly 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and obliterated much of the enclave's infrastructure. The humanitarian crisis has fueled outrage on some U.S. campuses and spurred demands for an end to investment in Israeli companies and amnesty for student protesters.

Developments:

∎ Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues has told state university presidents not to cancel or modify commencement ceremonies because of "unruly" demonstrators. "While we are witnessing a descent into chaos all over the country, under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida has maintained law and order," Rodrigues wrote in a memo to the presidents.

Biden speaks out on college protests:'Violence is not protected'

Biden says speech is protected but not 'chaos'

President Joe Biden condemned violence and destruction on college campuses while defending the right for pro-Palestinian protesters to peacefully demonstrate in his first public address on this week's unrest on college campuses. Biden, in previously unscheduled remarks Thursday from the White House Roosevelt Room, called peaceful protest "in the best tradition of how Americans respond to consequential issues," but said "violent protest is not protected."

"Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It's against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows shutting down campuses, forcing the cancelation of classes and graduations, none of this is a peaceful protest," Biden said. "There’s the right to protest, but not the right to cause chaos."

− Joey Garrison and Francesca Chambers

All quiet at Columbia University

More than a dozen law enforcement officers and security personnel remained posted Thursday along the metal barricades at and around the Columbia University gate where pro-Palestine protestors were taken into custody Tuesday night. Outside Hamilton Hall, some people waited in line to show the identification required to pass the checkpoint to gain access to campus and others appeared to be moving out. The encampment here lasted about two weeks and was the epicenter for campus protests around the nation.

The university moved classes online last week, graduation is set for May 15. and University President Minouche Shafik has requested police maintain a presence on campus through at least May 17. 

− N'dea Yancey-Bragg

Alums, political landscape raised pressure on Columbia president

A few days ago, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik indicated she had no intention of bringing police back to respond to pro-Palestinian protesters on the Ivy League school's Manhattan grounds. Doing so would be "counterproductive, further inflaming what is happening on campus, and drawing thousands to our doorstep who would threaten our community,” she wrote in a message signed by other school leaders.

But many alumni were clearly alarmed by what they were seeing, and so was New York City Mayor Eric Adams. By Tuesday night, the president's mind had changed. New York City Police Department officers descended on campus en masse and arrested scores of protesters for the second time.

Shafik had to assessthe politcial landscape, said Lincoln Mitchell, an adjunct associate professor of political science at Columbia.

"If you get an alumni base angry, you’re done," he said.

− Zachary Schermele

Alumni pressure, crime-fighting mayorhelped set the stage for Columbia arrests

Police at Portland State move in on occupied library

Portland State University's campus was closed Thursday because of an "ongoing incident at library," the school said in a social media post. Earlier this week the school asked police to help remove dozens of protesters occupying the building. Portland Police Bureau issued a statement Thursday saying the operation was underway at the Oregon school and was expected to take several hours. At least two arrests had been made, police said.

"We urge those who genuinely support the cause to clearly reject the criminal, threatening, and destructive tactics used in the takeover of the library, which is distinct from the peaceful protest that preceded it and continues outside," police said in a statement.

Last week the university paused seeking or accepting gifts or grants from Boeing pending a review of weapons sales to Israel.

Columbia faculty, students protest:Campus protests intensify

Almost half of NYC protesters arrested not affiliated with schools, reports say

New York Mayor Eric Adams, in an interview Thursday with NPR, said more than 40% of those arrested at Columbia University and the City College of New York protests on Tuesday were not affiliated with either school. CNN, citing an NYPD official, said 134 of 282 people arrested were not affiliated with the schools The official said 80 people arrested at Columbia, both inside and Hamilton Hall and at nearby protests, were affiliated with the university in some way while 32 were not. At CCNY, 68 people arrested were affiliated while 102 were not, the official said. 

The NYPD official told CNN the department was able to determine the breakdowns by cross-checking records with the universities. 

What is an encampment protest? At UCLA, it was a barricaded tent city

The encampment at UCLA was simlar to those that have sprung up at other schools in recent weeks. Protesters chanted slogans, beat drums and ate food provided by donors and served at a central meal tent. Students shared theories about when, and how, the police would eventually raid their camp − something that seemed inevitable given the forces massing on UCLA grounds.

Hours before the move to dismantle the encampment, officers in tactical gear began filing onto the campus as protesters chanted "Peaceful protest" and “We’re not leaving!” and “Who do you protect?” and "Where were you last night?"

Twice before the main push into the encampment, officers had attempted to gain ground inside the Dickson Plaza encampment, where protesters have been camped for several days. At about 1:30 a.m., a group of 30 or so officers entered the western side of the plaza, only to be quickly surrounded by students who slowly pushed forward as a body and pushed the police back out of the encampment. Another attempt by police to enter the main entrance used by protesters was also quickly blocked by students holding umbrellas and homemade wooden shields. 

First flash bangs, then the dismantling began

Shortly after 4 a.m. officers started firing flash bangs into the sky above the protest at the UCLA campus every few seconds, which echoed in deafening bangs. Police then dismantled the main barricade piece-by-piece before moving in as a unit and systematically driving students out of the plaza, arresting those who did not comply.

Some demonstrators, many carrying makeshift shields and umbrellas, tried to block the advancing phalanx of law enforcement while shouting, "push them back" and flashing bright lights at the officers. But others surrendered without incident and were ushered away by police. A USA TODAY reporter witnessed one man gushing blood from a head wound who was rushed by protesters to the medic’s tent, where he was bandaged up before being helped away.

“The UCLA administration has decided to take an approach of criminalizing students who are here trying to talk about what’s going on in Gaza and to talk about Palestinians’ lives,” Graeme Blair, an associate professor of political science and member of Faculty for Justice in Palestine at UCLA, told USA TODAY. “If our mission is a teaching mission, I can’t understand why they would choose to take the actions they have over the last 48 hours.” 

Hundreds face charges across nation, but will charges stick?

Hundreds of U.S. college students arrested this week while protesting the war in Gaza face criminal charges amid encampments, building takeovers and civil unrest. But how those charges play out remains a key question. On Tuesday night, New York police arrested nearly 300 people at Columbia University and the City College of New York. A day earlier, clashes with protesters at the University of Texas in Austin resulted in 79 arrests. Tulane University said 14 protesters were arrested at an "illegal encampment" on the New Orleans campus.

And officers made at least 70 arrests late last week and over the weekend at Arizona State University. But scores of cases at other universities have already been dropped.

Richard Serafini, a South Florida criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, explained that with hundreds of arrests at a mass protest, prosecutors still “have to be able to have the evidence” against each individual.

“You can’t charge someone who just happened to be there,” he said.

− Cybele Mayes-Osterman and Asher Stockler

What are college protests across the US about?

The student protesters opposed to Israel's military attacks in Gaza say they want their schools to stop funneling endowment money to Israeli companies and other businesses, like weapons manufacturers, that profit from the war in Gaza. In addition to divestment, protesters are calling for a cease-fire, and student governments at some colleges have also passed resolutions in recent weeks calling for an end to academic partnerships with Israel. The protesters also want the U.S. to stop supplying funding and weapons to the war effort.

More recently, amnesty for students and professors involved in the protests has become an issue. Protesters want protections amid threats of disciplinary action and termination for those participating in demonstrations that may violate campus policy or local laws.

− Claire Thornton

Campus protests across the US:Hundreds were arrested. But will the charges stick?

Contributing: Reuters