Students protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza decided to leave their encampment at the University of Southern California (USC) on Sunday after being surrounded by police and warned of potential arrest.
According to the university, the Los Angeles Police Department informed people in the center of the USC campus to evacuate, with the possibility of arrest for those who remained.
Police intervened by removing some participating students from the demonstration area and destroying the tents.
USC later confirmed that the encampment had been cleared, and the campus remained closed.
More than 2,000 people, including students, have been arrested during pro-Palestine demonstrations across the US, advocating for universities to divest from Israel and condemning the genocide in Gaza, which has resulted in nearly 34,700 casualties.
Nationwide protests gained momentum following an incident at Columbia University last month, where the New York Police Department was called to remove students staging an encampment on campus grounds. Over 100 arrests were made, but protesters regrouped and staged another sit-in.
Similar demonstrations have taken place at universities in other countries, including Canada, Australia, France, and Egypt, as a show of solidarity with Palestine.
