University of Arizona Police (UAPD) said they had deployed "chemical munitions" after telling pro-Palestinian protesters to disperse.
Police also told people to avoid the university campus in an update on X, formerly Twitter.
A statement from the college said: "The University of Arizona Police Department is enforcing our campus use policy to remove an unauthorized encampment. A structure made from wooden pallets and other debris was erected on campus property after 5 p.m. in violation of the policy.
"University officials issued warnings to remove the encampment and disperse. The warnings were ignored."
The police had earlier advised people to leave the area because "loud munitions" were set to be used.
Sgt. Andrew Valenzuela of the UAPD ordered the encampment to disperse immediately because of the risk of exposure to chemical agents.
"Leave the area now or you may be exposed to gas, pepper spray, pepper ball, or other chemical munitions," he said.
The protest at the University of Arizona is one of many by pro-Palestinian students across the nation that have been dispersed by police. While some support the actions of law enforcement, others claim that students have a right to protest the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
It has been more than seven months since Hamas' attack on Israel left over 1,200 Israelis dead and led to more than 200 being taken hostage. Israel's subsequent invasion of Gaza has cost the lives of more than 30,000 Palestinians, The Associated Press reports, citing Gaza's health authorities.
President Joe Biden has been accused of supporting a genocide against the Palestinian people by backing Israel.
Pro-Palestinian protesters have objected to accusations of antisemitism, not least because some of those who are objecting to the actions of the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are from the Jewish community, including left-wing advocacy organization Jewish Voice for Peace.
An increasing number of pro-Israel counter-protests have been seen on college campuses. Pro-Israeli protesters gathered outside the University South Carolina this week and the main stage graduation ceremony was canceled just over two weeks after 90 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at USC.
To date, as reported by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, over one million Americans have participated in protests over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
It is unclear whether the protests are helping or hurting the protesters' causes. While the pro-Palestinian protests have been labeled "extreme," measures taken in reaction to them by counter-demonstrators and law enforcement have also been criticized.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
fairness meter
To Rate This Article
About the writer
Emma Marsden is a freelance news reporter for Newsweek who has lived in the UK and USA. Her interests are ... Read more
