A pro-Palestinian encampment in the middle of USC’s main campus was cleared Sunday morning by officers with the Los Angeles Police Department and USC’s Department of Public Safety, ending a high-profile demonstration that began in April.
No arrests or major confrontations were reported, but the campus remains closed.
“Earlier today, the University of Southern California Department of Public Safety (DPS) successfully removed the illegal encampment rebuilt on the university’s campus,” Joel Curran, USC’s senior vice president of communications said in a early Sunday morning statement. “It was necessary to request the Los Angeles Police Department to respond to provide security as this was carried out peacefully. No arrests have been reported.
“We want to thank LAPD for assisting DPS in clearing the encampment and restoring normalcy for students and community as quickly and safely as possible. We will share more information with our community later today.”
Clean-up of the encampment, which had been rebuilt after previously being cleared on April 24th, began round 4:30 a.m. Sunday.
USC Annenberg Media reported at 3:51 a.m. that university police officers told student reporters they planned to come in around 4 a.m. and had set up a staging area for the media, which they alleged was too far away to witness any arrests.
Protesters shouted “Free Palestine” at 4:17 a.m., as officers began surrounding the encampment, Annenberg Media said. At 4:25 a.m., DPS officers gave protesters in the encampment 15 minutes to leave of face arrest.
The officers started at 4:35 a.m. to remove the banners hung by protesters, moving them to the side of the park, Annenberg Media said.
During this time USC officials alerted students that the campus was temporarily closed.
As the clean-up proceeded, reporters at the Daily Trojan, USC’s student newspaper, reported seeing “at least 50 Los Angeles Police officers … moving down Trousdale Parkway [near the USC campus] at around 4:15 a.m. with zip ties, less-lethal launchers and helmets.” The paper also reported seeing “three police vans, which appear to be used for transporting people who have been arrested.”
A news videographer at the scene said officers pushed 50 to 75 students out of the encampment and off the campus. The officers then cleared out the tents and other gear that was left behind.
The police action came just days after USC President Carol Folt wrote an open letter to the “Trojan Family” stressing the steps the university was taking to ensure that students finish finals “in a quiet, safe academic environment — and that our graduating students can enjoy peaceful and joyous commencement ceremonies.”
Folt also took a firm stand toward protesters who might continue to be disruptive.
“Let me be absolutely clear,” she wrote in the letter released Friday. “Free speech and assembly do not include the right to obstruct equal access to campus, damage property, or foment harassment, violence, and threats. Nor is anyone entitled to obstruct the normal functions of our university, including commencement.
“… When laws and policies that apply to everyone are repeatedly and flagrantly violated — there must be consequences.”
It was unclear when open access would be restored at the campus, which had been restricted to students, faculty and staff for much of the past week, now that the encampment has been removed.
On Thursday, USC implemented updated campus-entry procedures as it remained under a state of heightened security. The decision came a day after the school revealed plans for a “Trojan Family Graduate Celebration” at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum this coming Thursday, to replace the previously canceled main stage commencement ceremony amid the pro-Palestinian protests.
USC announced late Friday afternoon it was also pausing visitor registration because the “campus is very busy with events and construction work to prepare for commencement,” but existing visitor passes would be honored.
Pre-registered guests must show a QR code available from the visitor.usc.edu website, as well as a government-issued ID.
University officials said all bags will be subject to search. People wearing masks will be asked to lower them briefly to verify identification, according to the university.
The USC campus had been relatively calm in the days prior to Sunday’s clean-up opertation.
On Wednesday, dozens of USC faculty members held a march through the campus in support of protesters, calling in part for amnesty for those who were arrested on April 24th.
The Wednesday march remained peaceful, with some students joining the faculty in the late-afternoon procession. It happened hours after a virtual meeting was held between members of the campus Academic Senate and Folt, who was joined by Provost Andrew Guzman.
Folt wrote on social media Wednesday afternoon that the meeting was “to explain our reasoning and answer their thoughtful and direct questions about our recent decisions.
“Rich & sometimes opposing views are essential to a great university,” Folt wrote. “Trust is built every day & we hope this was a step forward.”
In her letter, Folt wrote that “the university has initiated disciplinary review processes for individuals who have violated both our policies and the law. We will take any further actions required to maintain campus safety and security, consistent with our legal obligations.
“The university is legally obligated to ensure that students, faculty, and staff can move freely throughout our campus while pursuing their studies, work, and research. Every part of our campuses, including Alumni Park, must be fully accessible and free from vandalism and harassment.”
USC became a focal point of Southland pro-Palestinian protests following its April 15 decision to cancel valedictorian Asna Tabassum’s commencement speech in response to complaints about her online posts critics called antisemitic. USC officials insisted the move was solely a security issue, not a political decision.
Still, tensions continued to mount — leading to the mass protest April 24th and attempted occupation of Alumni Park that resulted in the 93 arrests and the clearing of the earlier encampment.
The university eventually opted to cancel its May 10 main stage commencement altogether, but vowed to move forward with the usual array of smaller satellite graduation ceremonies for the school’s individual colleges.
Those ceremonies are set to begin this Wednesday.