Riot police arrest students as Palestine protests spread to colleges in Texas and California

Riot police are arresting students at campuses across the US as protests over Palestine continue to grow.

On Wednesday afternoon, police on horseback arrived at University of Texas at Austin’s campus and began arresting students, according to The Texas Tribune. At least 10 people participating in the protest, organised by the university’s Palestinian committee, were detained.

Authorities were still making arrests at UT Austin around 4pm ET.

Students and community members clash with USC Public Safety Officers during a Gaza solidarity occupation on campus to advocate for Palestine in Los Angeles, California, USA, 24 April 2024 (EPA)

The students were demanding that the institution divest from manufacturers supplying Israel weapons in attacks against Palestine, a call that’s been echoed on campuses nationwide. The students gathered at a campus gym with plans to march through the university and hold a sit-in. By 12pm CT, 200 students had banded together.

Similar scenes broke out at the University of Southern California as police there arrested a Palestinian student organiser who was later released. More than 100 students at the college placed tents, banners and signs in the centre of the campus.

A peaceful protest on Wednesday was later disrupted by officers with USC’s Department of Public Safety. Officials have now called in the Los Angeles Police Department for backup in case tensions escalate. About 300 people are now protesting on school grounds.

Additional arrests were seen at universities this week, including Ohio State and Columbia University. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson called for Columbia’s President Dr Nemat Shafik to resign before his scheduled visit to speak with the school’s Jewish students.

“It’s unconscionable”, Mr Johnson said on The Hugh Hewitt Show of the protests. “This president has shown to be very weak, inept leader. They cannot even guarantee the safety of Jewish students. They’re expected to run for their lives and stay home from class. It’s just maddening”.

The speaker continued his comments by calling on authorities to revoke the visas of international student protestors.

Encampments have been established at Brown University, the University of Michigan, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California State Polytechnic, Humboldt. Columbia moved their classes online as demonstrations continue and officials work to de-escalate tensions.

USC Public Safety Officers detain a protester during a Gaza solidarity occupation on campus to advocate for Palestine in Los Angeles, California, USA, 24 April 2024 (EPA)

Mr Johnson spoke to drowning chants of “We can’t hear you” as he delivered remarks from the steps of Columbia on Wednesday afternoon, calling for student protestors to be arrested. Jewish students told the speaker that they feel unsafe on campus, Mr Johnson said.

New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul told reporters earlier in the day that she thinks Mr Johnson should stay in Washington DC.

“I think politicising this and bringing the entourage to put a spotlight on this is only adding to the division”, Ms Hochul told Politico. “A Speaker worth the title should really be trying to heal people and not divide them, so I don’t think it adds to anything.”

Columbia officials and the protestors have a Wednesday night deadline to reach an agreement that could restore order to the campus.

If an agreement is not reached, Dr Shafik said that officials will be forced to consider other measures to bring campus back to order.

This is a developing story…

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