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Police crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests at universities across the US has expanded. After New York's Columbia University, the state's police force has conducted a large-scale operation at the University of California. Peaceful Palestinians have been evicted from there.
To break up the siege at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), authorities called in riot police. Hundreds of policemen were deployed there after giving an ultimatum to more than 400 protesters to leave. Police removed the barricade on Wednesday (May 2) using rubber bullets and flashbangs.
Earlier, the police called upon the pro-Palestinian protesters to leave the campus. After several hours of standoff, police began entering the protesters' tents. After several hours of efforts, the police removed the tents of the protestors. At this time 90 people were arrested.
A violent pro-Israel mob attacked a Palestinian tent on the UCLA campus 24 hours before the police raid. At this time, the role of the police was criticized. The police did not take any measures to stop this violence. The mayor of California also criticized the role of the police in the state.
The country's analysts are criticizing the police action against the Palestinians before 24 hours of the Israeli attack. They say that although the authorities did not prevent the peaceful movement in the country's universities many times before, this time they are adopting a two-pronged policy towards the pro-Palestinian protesters.
Reuters, BBC and Al Jazeera reported that all protesters were removed from the UCLA campus after a police raid. While some of the protesters looked terrified, others continued to try to hold their ground. Many protesters were shouting 'shame on you' at the police.
Tensions have been simmering on campus since clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and a pro-Israeli group escalated with the presence of riot police. Policemen were patrolling from one part of the campus to another. Everyone had riot gear.
University authorities have said that the campus students are taking part in a protest against the Israeli genocide by pitching tents, which is illegal. The authorities have threatened to arrest them if they do not stop the protest immediately. Al Jazeera reported that there is a large number of police presence on the campus at the moment.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported that almost all entrances to Columbia University in New York City are now crowded with police and private security personnel, barricading the streets. Students are leaving the campus for home with their belongings. The class has been canceled and it is not clear when the exam will be held.
There is a sense of dread and uncertainty everywhere in the university about what is going to happen next. Students say the entire campus is reeling from Tuesday's raid on the university's Hamilton Hall, where more than 100 people were detained to prevent protests over the Gaza incident.
About 300 people were arrested at Columbia and City University of New York, Police Commissioner Edward Caban said at a news conference Wednesday. Mayor Eric Adams blamed outside agitators for the escalation of tensions. However, the students denied the matter.
Earlier, after police entered the Columbia University campus on Tuesday night, they broke through protestors' barricades and entered Hamilton Hall, handcuffing protesters through a second-story window. Later the policemen also removed the tents.
Police raided the protesters' camp at the University of Texas on Wednesday and arrested several students. Police at Fordham University in New York made several arrests and evicted protesters from their dormitories inside the school building. Officials said this.
Protesters at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) blocked an avenue near the Cambridge campus during Wednesday's evening rush hour. Police evict protesters from their encampment at the University of Texas. At least 17 people were arrested at the same time.
Police dispersed about 200 protesters at Yale University. Besides, two students and two outsiders have also been detained there. The university has given this information in a statement. Police cordoned off parts of the campus to remove protesters from Portland State University.
Local newspapers reported that 29 Stony Brook University students, faculty members and several others were detained. Meanwhile, in the face of protests, the University of Vermont has agreed to publish their investment list, according to the Washington Post.
Northwestern University authorities have agreed to form a new advisory committee in exchange for the peaceful removal of the protesters' tents. And Brown University pro-Palestinian protesters canceled the demonstration after authorities agreed to hold a debate on Israel.
Police also raided the University of Wisconsin. TV footage showed several people being arrested from there. At least 30 US universities are currently protesting. All the protests have called for a change in US policy on Israel.
It should be noted that for the past few days, fierce student protests have been going on in US universities demanding a boycott of various individuals and companies related to Israel. It turned into clashes at several places on Tuesday night. This protest started from Columbia University in New York.
Bangladesh /SS
