Police on campuses at protests disrupt colleges nationwide

10 taken into custody at University of South Florida after police determined protest was "no longer peaceful"

University of South Florida (USF) police and supporting law enforcement agencies, dispersed an on-campus protest Tuesday, with ten people taken into custody, according to a release from the university.

On Tuesday morning, roughly 75 to 100 protesters assembled on USF’s campus, the release said. According to the university, as the day progressed, USF police found the protest was “no longer peaceful” when they determined protesters intended to use some of the things they brought on campus “as weapons and to resist university staff members and law enforcement officers.”

After making several attempts to tell participants to end the protest and they needed to disperse, protesters refused to comply and ten individuals were taken into custody, the university said. Police found that one of those arrested was carrying a concealed firearm, USF noted.

At least 14 arrests made at Tulane, including 2 students, as campus encampment is removed

Tulane University has confirmed that protesters have been removed from its campus in a statement released Wednesday.

In the statement, the university said students participating in the "illegal encampment" were given "numerous warnings" before officers from the New Orleans Police Department and Louisiana State Police removed them.

The university noted that "the overwhelming majority of the protestors are unaffiliated with our community."

Police arrested at least 14 protesters — of whom two were Tulane students, the statement said. Earlier this week, six people were arrested, including one student for "trespassing, resisting arrest and battery on an officer," according to the statement.

Seven students have been suspended, the statement said, adding that students who participated in the protest "have also been referred to the Office of Student Conduct for immediate disciplinary action."

"We have supported numerous lawful demonstrations throughout this year. However, we remain opposed to trespassing, hate speech, antisemitism and bias against religious or ethnic groups. Harassment, intimidation, violence, and other criminal acts on any of our campuses are not acceptable," the statement said.

Wednesday is the last day of classes for most students, according to the school, and classes scheduled in three closed buildings should be conducted remotely. Police and security will remain on campus for the remainder of the semester.

Reports of pipes, Tasers and pepper spray in UCLA clashes, student says

An editor for the University of California, Los Angeles student newspaper, the Daily Bruin, told CNN she has heard reports of pipes, Tasers and pepper spray being used in the violent confrontation between pro-Palestinian protesters and Israel supporters on Tuesday night.

“The counter protester activity here at UCLA has been sort of constant throughout the days the camp has existed,” Anna Dai-Liu, an editor for UCLA’s newspaper, the Daily Bruin, told CNN.

By 11 pm PT Tuesday night, many more people appeared and began pushing into the barricades, which is when the fireworks went off and tear gas was sprayed, Dai-Liu said.

Some Daily Bruin reporters who were all standing on the counter protester side were gassed and assaulted, but it’s unclear who released the tear gas, she added.

“There’s also been reports of pepper spray and bear spray. As of the moment, it’s very difficult for us to confirm which sides these sprays are coming from, but we’re hearing it’s coming more from the counter protester side,” Dai-Liu said.

There have also been reports of pipes, Tasers used in the violent altercations, she added.

The student newspaper editor said she’s heard from sources on the ground the violence was one-sided but stressed that is “difficult to ascertain among the chaos that is still going on.”

Dai-Liu said it’s still unclear when the camp will be cleared from campus, as they wait for more announcements from UCLA officials.

“It has been a rather chaotic day of events at UCLA. We’re not quite sure, either, as to how it escalated to this degree. It’s not something we have seen yet on campus, but it is definitely violent in ways previous demonstrations by the counter protesters weren’t,” Dai-Liu said.

NYPD deciding how long it will stay on Columbia's campus, law enforcement official says

Asked about the request from Columbia University to remain on campus until mid-May, a law enforcement official told CNN the department is still determining how long and in what capacity it will stay.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York Police Department Commissioner Edward A. Caban and other officials will hold a news briefing at 9 a.m. “in regard to the Columbia University and City College demonstrations,” according to public schedules.

As a reminder, more than 200 protesters were arrested Tuesday at Columbia University and City College of New York, according to law enforcement sources.

Most of the arrests were made at Columbia, including about two dozen protesters who police say tried to prevent officers from entering the campus, a law enforcement official said.

We'll bring you the latest updates here as we get them.

More than 200 arrested at Columbia University, law enforcement sources say

New York Police Department officers arrested around 230 people at Columbia University on Tuesday after police in riot gear breached a building on campus in which pro-Palestinian protesters had barricaded themselves, clearing the property, law enforcement sources tell CNN.

There were dozens of additional arrests made several blocks north at the City College of New York, the sources say.

University of Arizona police use chemical irritant as campus protests continue

University of Arizona Police deployed "chemical irritant munitions" and urged residents to avoid the area as protests continue on campus, according to posts on X by the university's police department (UAPD).

Overnight, UAPD responded "to an unlawful assembly," the posts said. Police asked protesters on campus to "follow orders of police and disperse immediately" before deploying the irritant, according to the posts.

"Continue to avoid area, police action being taken," UAPD urged.

CNN has reached out to university officials and police for more information.

Police are on campus at Columbia and UCLA. Here’s the latest on the protests disrupting US universities

More than 100 people were arrested at Columbia University and City College of New York on Tuesday night, according to a law enforcement official, as protests against Israel's bombardment of Gaza intensified across college campuses nationwide.

Police in riot gear entered Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall and used flash bangs when breaching the building, in which pro-Palestinian protesters had barricaded themselves. Less than two hours after officers entered the school’s campus in Morningside Heights, Columbia University’s property was cleared.

Columbia has asked the NYPD to remain on campus until May 17, two days after its graduation ceremony, but protesters remain defiant. Columbia has been the epicenter, but protests have been roiling universities nationwide.

In Los Angeles, police have arrived on campus at UCLA, mayor Karen Bass said early on Wednesday. Before the deployment, pro-Palestinian protesters and Israel supporters were clashing at UCLA, according to multiple reports.

"The violence unfolding this evening at UCLA is absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable," the mayor said in a post on X.

Here are the latest developments on other campuses:

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill: At least 36 protesters were detained at an encampment. Police officers were seen physically pushing back protesters. Demonstrators took down the campus US flag and replaced it with a Palestinian flag.

Florida State University: Five people, among them two students, were arrested during a demonstration Tuesday, the school said.

University of Texas-Austin: Police presence on campus and arrests are “dwindling” law enforcement resources, Travis County prosecutor Delia Garza said, and called for the university to initiate a compromise with student protest organizers. Nearly 80 people were arrested on campus Monday and Garza’s office is processing at least 65 criminal trespass cases, she said.

University of Southern California: President Carol Folt engaged in a second meeting with protesters on campus, but no agreement was reached

Occupied buildings and security: Portland State University President Ann Cudd asked students to voluntarily leave the library they are occupying and said the university is in touch with police about removing students.

Cleared encampments: Some universities, such as Yale and Brown, have cleared protest encampments after reaching agreements with students. Brown University student protesters have reached an agreement to disband their encampment after the university agreed to hold a vote on divestment from companies that support Israel.

(Source: CNN Business)

(Source: OnSceneALERT)

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