April 25, 2024 - US university protests

Pro-Palestinian protests continued at major US universities throughout Wednesday evening, even after law enforcement was called to step in and make arrests at campuses.

Pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University, the epicenter of demonstrations that began last week, said they won’t disperse until the school agrees to cut ties with Israeli academic institutions and commits to a “complete divestment” of its funds from entities connected to Israel, among other demands.

Tensions on multiple campuses were sparked after Hamas’ deadly October 7 attack on Israel, where militants killed about 1,200 people and took over 200 hostages. Israel responded with bombardments on Gaza that have killed more than 34,000 people after more than 200 days of war, according to the enclave's health ministry.

Some Jewish students say they are concerned for their safety on campus, and college administrators are facing increasing pressure from lawmakers to rein in protests.

Here are the latest developments:

More than 100 people were arrested Wednesday at Emerson College in Boston during a pro-Palestinian protest, the Boston Police Department said.

There were 108 people arrests, and four officers were injured, according to John Boyle with Boston police. All of the injuries were non-life-threatening. New York Times reporter Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs posted video of the protests on X. 

"Arrested protesters are chanting 'we keep us safe!' from inside a (police) wagon, as those on sidelines chant along," the reporter posted on X from the scene. 

Social media posts from Emerson Students for Justice in Palestine also state more than 100 people were taken into custody. 

Video from CNN affiliate WHDH shows officers wearing riot gear approaching protesters overnight. The scene has since cleared, affiliate video shows.

Emerson College President Jay Bernhardt and other school officials penned a letter to students Wednesday saying the encampment set up days prior was violating city law. 

"Emerson College has previously communicated the information we received from the City of Boston about ordinance violations to the protesters on multiple occasions over several days," the letter read. 

"We support our community's right to express their views through protest," said the letter. "However, they must do so in a manner consistent with the laws of the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," the university letter states. 

"Our utmost priority is the safety and welfare of our community, and we are deeply concerned that the protesters are risking legal consequences beyond Emerson's control when they do not abide by city and state laws," the university said.  

Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, on Thursday expressed “deep concerns” over the police response to pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses.

Amir-Abdollahian criticized the “suppression and harsh treatment” of professors and students by police in a post on X. 

“This suppression is in line with Washington's full-fledged support for the Israeli regime and clearly demonstrates the U.S. government's double standards and contradictory behavior regarding freedom of speech,” Amir-Abdollahian posted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday denounced the pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses as “horrific” and “antisemitic," calling for them to end.

“It has to be stopped. It has to be condemned and condemned unequivocally,” Netanyahu said in a video message on X.

Netanyahu added that while some officials have responded differently, “more has to be done” in response to the demonstrations.

Netanyahu said that a rise of antisemitism in the US “has terrible consequences.”

His remarks came as nearly 100 protesters were arrested at the University of Southern California and dozens more were arrested at the University of Texas in Austin on Wednesday.

Protesters at Columbia University, the epicenter of demonstrations that began last week, said they won’t disperse until the school agrees to cut ties with Israeli universities and commits to divesting funds from Israel-linked entities, among other demands.

University of Southern California President Carol Folt has stayed silent as campus tensions skyrocket after pro-Palestinian protests and arrests, Los Angeles Times reporter Angie Orellana Hernandez said.

Hernandez says the Los Angeles Times had repeatedly requested to speak with the university head, to no avail.

Hernandez said it remains unclear what the protesters' plans are because of campus closures, but that they showed that they were "determined to see it through."

Last week, USC canceled the valedictory speech of Asna Tabassum, a first-generation South Asian-American Muslim, citing safety concerns.

That decision sparked a wave of protests and outcry from students.

Some context: Tensions on multiple US campuses were sparked after Hamas' October 7 attack, where militants killed about 1,200 people and took over 200 hostages. Israel's retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed more than 34,000 people, according to the enclave's health ministry.

The tense protest at the University of Southern California has ended, but the campus will remain closed until further notice, the university said late Wednesday.

Some background: Earlier Wednesday, the university closed its campus as LAPD began arresting demonstrators. Nearly 100 people were arrested after the university had ordered protesters at the campus' Alumni Park to disperse.

Tensions escalated once police entered the University of Southern California campus, according to Jonathan Park, an editor of the Daily Trojan, the college’s newspaper. 

Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at USC’s Alumni Park around 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday and were largely peaceful until scuffles broke out between police and demonstrators over posting signs on trees around noon, Park said. 

One person was arrested but quickly released following loud chants from protesters saying to “let him go,” according to CNN correspondent Nick Watts reporting from the scene. 

The Los Angeles Police Department said 93 people were later arrested on suspicion of trespassing during Wednesday's demonstrations at USC.

Protester demands: Park said the protesters had six demands, among them an academic boycott of Israel, protecting free speech on campus, stopping displacement in Palestinian territories, no policing on campus, and calling on USC to “end the silence on the genocide and Palestine."

The Los Angeles Police Department said 93 people were arrested on suspicion of trespassing during Wednesday's demonstrations at the University of Southern California.

"The university is a private campus and the group had been violating some of their orders. It was a trespass at that point and we assisted with the arrests," Los Angeles Police Captain Kelly Muniz said during a briefing.

One person was also arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, Muniz said. She did not provide further details.

No protesters or officers have been reported injured, police said.

Some context: USC's Department of Public Safety ordered protesters gathering at the campus' Alumni Park Wednesday afternoon to disperse or face arrest for trespassing.

At one point during the demonstrations, tensions escalated as protesters refused to relocate and remove their tents and other prohibited items, a university official said.

The university closed its campus Wednesday evening as LAPD began arresting demonstrators.

There is growing tension at Columbia University amid the pro-Palestinian protests on the New York campus.

Student protesters against Israel's assault on Gaza are demanding Columbia cut all financial ties with Israel.

While most protests have been non-violent, some Jewish students are expressing concern for their safety.

"The antisemitic comments and activity is running rampant," said Jessica Schwalb, a Jewish student at Columbia.

The university recently shifted to hybrid classes due to safety concerns, allowing students to take classes and final exams online.