During a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, police officers were seen deploying batons, as captured in a video shared by Los Angeles Times reporter Angie Orellana Hernandez.
The video, originally posted on X (formerly Twitter), has garnered over 335,000 views on Hernandez’s profile as of 5:10 p.m. ET. The footage captures the moment when a protester is being escorted away from the scene by USC Department of Public Safety officers.
Videos shared by Hernandez later depict a crowd of protesters surrounding the police car with the detained individual inside, passionately demanding their release by chanting, “Let him go!” Not long after the car was barricaded, the protester was freed from police custody.
USC has implemented new measures to restrict access to its campus. Now, students and workers are required to present identification in order to enter.
The Context
Pro-Palestinian protestors kick-started their rally on Wednesday morning at USC’s Alumni Park, as reported by Los Angeles media outlets and social media posts.
According to reports, the park was occupied by numerous students and non-students who presented a list of demands. These demands included the divestment of USC from organizations that are allegedly profiting from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and occupation in Palestine.
According to the Orange County Register, students were instructed by Department of Public Safety officers earlier Wednesday morning not to hang signs, flags, or any other materials from trees and posts in the park. Protesters were also cautioned against using megaphones.
Around midday, officers from the USC Department of Public Safety commenced their efforts to disperse the encampment, while the Los Angeles Police Department officers were present nearby, but stayed off-campus.
The USC Divest from Death Coalition, a group of organizers, has expressed their solidarity with the people of Palestine in their ongoing struggle for liberation. In a statement, the coalition stated that their action aims to support Palestine as they resist genocide.
“The occupation is a response to the efforts made by USC and other universities to stifle the student movement advocating for Palestine on their campuses. It stands against the suppression of students who voice their criticisms of the state of Israel. Moreover, it is a form of resistance against university administrators and boards of trustees who benefit from the tragic loss of Palestinian lives,” stated the activists.
At 4:20 p.m. ET, students persistently marched and protested around the encampment while Department of Public Safety officers maintained a watchful eye.
Last week, the private university made the decision to cancel the speech of valedictorian Asna Tabassum at the May 10 ceremony due to concerns regarding safety. As a Muslim, Tabassum has openly shown her support for Palestinians amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. University officials, without providing any specific threats, mentioned that the reaction to her being chosen as valedictorian had reached an alarming level.
DPS officers put their hands on a @USC student; take out batons pic.twitter.com/gPx8TwSqqj
— angie (@angorellanah) April 24, 2024
What We Know
Hundreds of students and others have been arrested at Columbia, Yale, New York University, and other schools since Friday.
Columbia University students in New York City have been actively organizing protests and establishing a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on campus. Their main objective is to express their discontent with the university’s ongoing financial investments in corporations that they believe are benefiting from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and occupation in Palestine.
More than 100 Columbia students participating in the week-long protest have been arrested by riot police and suspended by the university. School officials, lawmakers, and student protesters have condemned the repeated reports of antisemitic incidents, attributing the responsibility to outside groups.
U.S. Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, faced a hostile reception during his visit to Columbia’s campus on Wednesday, as he was met with a chorus of boos.
Shortly after engaging with a gathering of Jewish students on Wednesday afternoon, Johnson conducted a press conference that was promptly and repeatedly disrupted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Protesters at the campus drowned out Johnson’s speech, expressing their dissent through boos and chants. They passionately voiced their concerns, calling for the freedom of Palestine and expressing their frustration with the Republican’s support of Israel and the Jewish students. Their fervent objections were clear, with some even resorting to using explicit language to convey their message.
Views
In a thought-provoking article featured in Newsweek, Angela McArdle, the chair of the Libertarian National Committee, boldly asserts that “Protesters are Less Offensive than War.”
According to McArdle, rather than focusing on other matters, we should direct our outrage towards the warmongering and genocidal actions committed by the Israeli government, as well as the United States government’s involvement in destabilizing the Middle East and creating division among countries. McArdle suggests that the fog of war often obscures the true history behind these conflicts, making it essential to look beyond the surface.
According to Bassem Eid, a Palestinian human rights activist residing in the West Bank, there seems to be confusion among Pro-Palestinian protesters regarding the true meaning of a ceasefire.
“It is disconcerting to witness organizations that have previously chanted ‘ceasefire now,’ solely directed at Israel and never at the Hamas terrorists who held over 200 Israelis hostage on that fateful day in October, now openly applauding and endorsing Iran’s acts of violence,” he expressed.
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization, known for its participation in various anti-Israel rallies since October 7, has been vocal in urging the public to align with Iran. In a recent statement, they emphasized Iran’s support for the Palestinian resistance and called for solidarity with both Iran and Palestine.
What’s Next?
The USC Department of Public Safety released a statement at 4:21 p.m. ET, stating:
The center of the UPC campus is currently experiencing a demonstration, resulting in noticeable activity. To ensure safety and security, the gates have been closed. If you need to access the campus for classes or business purposes, please have your ID ready to present at the gates. It is advisable to steer clear of the center of campus unless you have a scheduled class.