Pro-Palestinian protests spread at college campuses across US

People listen to a speaker at a pro-Palestinian encampment, advocating for financial disclosure and divestment from all companies tied to Israel and calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, inside the campus of Columbia University, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

LOS ANGELES – Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have spread across college campuses in throughout the United States, with students calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and demanding that schools stop all investments tied to Israel.

The mass actions have resulted in hundreds of student arrests as universities struggle to balance campus safety and rights to freedom of speech.

On Monday, Columbia University in New York began suspending student protesters while police and demonstrators at the University of Texas clashed, resulting in dozens of arrests.

In California, students in more than a dozen universities – including UCLA and USC – have set up encampments and held protest rallies.

San Francisco State University in the Bay Area and University of California Irvine in Southern California became the latest to join the nationwide movement.

A pro-Palestine encampment was established at UC Irvine Monday, and Irvine’s mayor warned the university against any law enforcement action to break up the gathering.

By early afternoon, however, a showing of law enforcement including the Orange County Sheriff’s Department began gathering in a university parking lot near the protesters’ occupation area.

The law enforcement presence prompted Irvine Mayor Farrah N. Khan to issue a statement defending the right to peacefully protest at colleges and universities.

“I am asking our law enforcement to stand down,” Khan said. “I will not tolerate any violations to our students’ rights to peacefully assemble and protest.”

There were no immediate reports of any disturbances or arrests connected with the protest as of Monday afternoon.

“There’s a group of protesters who have set up a small tent village in the physical sciences plaza,” UCI spokesman Tom Vasich said, adding there were about 13 or 14 tents.

“Overall there are about 100 protesters on site right now,” he said just after 3 p.m.

The campus police department asked for assistance from sheriff’s deputies, Vasich said.

In a statement, university officials said, “UC Irvine respects the rights of any students to engage in free speech and expression including lawful protest. The safety of all members of the campus community is always a top priority, and we continue to monitor and evaluate the situation to ensure that we are able to continue to provide a safe and secure learning environment.” (With CNS report)