USC closes campus after anti-Israel protest and 93 people arrested for trespassing

The University of Southern California announced that its campus will remain closed “until further notice” following a large anti-Israel protest on Wednesday that ended with 93 arrested.

The Los Angeles Police Department arrived on campus around 4 p.m. after rioters refused to follow the university’s request to leave the area, Capt. Kelly Muniz said on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday night. .

After hours of clashes with campus police and Los Angeles police, the protest ended with 93 people arrested for trespassing.

“We have not determined if they will be cited or not. If and when, it is a misdemeanor. They will go through the reprimand process,” Muniz said, adding that the process is “long.”

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Muñiz said there was an altercation in a part of the protest area that resulted in an arrest for assault with a deadly weapon. He did not clarify what the weapon was or give details about the incident, but he said that the rest of the agitators in the area dispersed after the arrest.

When asked if anyone was injured during the demonstration, Muñiz said he was not aware of any injuries among agitators or officers.

USC asked Los Angeles police to enter the campus and arrest agitators at a large anti-Israel trespassing protest after they refused to leave the area. (REUTERS/Zaydee Sánchez)

The university announced at 11:58 p.m. that the protest was ending, but that the campus would remain closed “until further notice.”

“The protest at UPC has ended. However, the campus remains closed until further notice. Students, faculty, staff and people with businesses on campus can enter with proper identification,” USC tweeted.

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The protest, called the “Gaza Solidarity Occupation,” began Wednesday morning and was one of many such demonstrations that took place on college campuses across the United States.

Los Angeles police arrested 93 people for alleged trespassing and one for assault with a deadly weapon following an anti-Israel protest at USC on Wednesday. (REUTERS/Zaydee Sánchez)

In a letter to the university community Wednesday afternoon, USC Chancellor Andrew Guzmán said that while the university supports students’ freedom of expression, there are guidelines that must be followed for a manifestation.

“We have well-established policies on limits on the time, place and form of free expression,” Guzmán wrote. “These include prohibiting the erection of 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 the protest in front of Doheny Library, which is “in the center of the academic buildings,” appeared to involve many people who are not affiliated with the university.

Guzmán said USC’s guidelines on protests do not allow “tents or other encampments, the use of loudspeakers, signs on poles or stakes, and the disruption of classes and other essential university functions.” (REUTERS/Zaydee Sánchez)

When security officers “repeatedly” asked the agitators to remove their tents and other prohibited items and then move to a “compatible location”, they refused, eventually leading the university to contact the police. from Los Angeles to call for reinforcements.

“Their actions have escalated to include acts of vandalism, defacement of campus buildings and structures, as well as physical confrontation that threatens the safety of our officers and the university community,” Guzmán wrote.

He said the decision to close the campus doors to unauthorized visitors “until further notice” was made in an effort to “restrict the growth of the protest and maintain calm on the rest of the campus.” The closure does not affect students, staff, or others with proper USC identification.

USC Chancellor Andrew Guzmán said the decision to close the campus to unauthorized visitors was made in an effort to “restrict the growth of the protest and maintain calm on the rest of the campus.” (REUTERS/Zaydee Sánchez)

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Guzmán concluded the letter by reminding students that USC “rejects[s] speech that is hateful and that causes harm to others.”

“In these difficult times, we call on the Trojan family to remember that every member of our community deserves respect, has the right to be safe on campus, take classes, and participate in other campus activities without fear of harassment or intimidation. The Everyone’s priority should be to treat each other with kindness and care,” he wrote.