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Scuffling broke out between police and protesters at USC Wednesday morning.
The protesters, who are objecting to the ongoing war in Gaza and Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, were targeted by police who were “RAIDING ENCAMPMENTS” and “VIOLENTLY ARRESTING” them, according to activist account People City’s Council – Los Angeles.
Video shared to social media by Angie Orellana Hernandez showed at least one officer whipping out a baton after “officers put their hands on a @USC student.”
She later shared another video showing students surrounding a police vehicle so it could not leave the area with a student that the protesters believed was wrongly detained.
The escalation comes after a slow start to the protest.
While Sky5 showed only 15-20 protesters early Wednesday morning, by midday, dozens if not hundreds of people could be spotted in the area of Alumni Park. Large amounts of shoving and pushing could be spotted.
USC Public Safety Assistant Chief David Carlisle told KTLA earlier on Wednesday that students were free to protest, but they were not allowed to camp on campus property, so officers took down tents.
Footage from just before noon showed numerous tents still erected at the site, though protesters appeared to be carrying their tents and walking in a circle in an attempt to evade the officers’ attempts.
(source)