Viral Video Shows Police Deploying Batons Amid USC Pro-Palestinian Protest

A video Wednesday afternoon by Los Angeles Times reporter Angie Orellana Hernandez showed police offers deploying batons amid a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles.

The video shared on X, formerly Twitter, which also showed a protester being taken away from the scene by USC Department of Public Safety officers, had been viewed over 335,000 times via Hernandez's profile as of 5:10 p.m. ET.

Subsequent videos posted by Hernandez show a host of protestors surrounding the police car with the detained person inside, shouting "Let him go!" Shortly after the car was blockaded, the protester was released from custody.

USC has restricted its campus to students and workers, who now must present identification for entry.

Newsweek called the USC Department of Public Safety for comment.

The Context

According to Los Angeles media outlets and social media reports, the rally by pro-Palestinian protestors began Wednesday morning at USC's Alumni Park.

Dozens of students and non-students reportedly occupied the park and issued a list of demands, including USC divestment from organizations that "profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine."

According to the Orange County Register, Department of Public Safety officers told students earlier Wednesday morning not to hang signs, flags or other materials from trees and posts in the park. Protesters were also warned not to use megaphones.

Shortly before noon, USC Department of Public Safety officers began attempting to clear the encampment. Los Angeles Police Department officers stood by but remained off-campus.

Organizers identify themselves as the USC Divest from Death Coalition. In a statement, the group said their action is "in solidarity with the people of Palestine as they resist genocide and continue in their struggle for liberation."

"The occupation is also in resistance to attempts by USC and other universities to suppress the student movement for Palestine on its campuses, in resistance to the silencing of students that criticize the state of Israel, in resistance to the university administrators and boards of trustees who profit off the genocide of Palestinians," the statement said.

As of 4:20 p.m. ET, students continued to march and protest around the encampment as Department of Public Safety officers watched.

Last week, the private university canceled valedictorian Asna Tabassum's speech at the May 10 ceremony because of safety concerns. Tabassum, who is Muslim, has expressed support for Palestinians in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The university officials said the response to her selection as valedictorian had "taken on an alarming tenor" but did not cite any specific threats.

What We Know

Since Friday, hundreds of students and others have been arrested at Columbia, Yale, New York University and other schools.

Over the past week, Columbia University students in New York City have organized protests and set up a "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" on campus to protest the university's "continued financial investment in corporations that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and occupation in Palestine."

Over 100 Columbia students taking part in the week-long protest have been arrested by riot police and suspended by the university, while repeated reports of antisemitic incidents have sparked condemnation from school officials, lawmakers and student protesters who say outside groups are responsible.

U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was greeted with boos during a visit to Columbia's campus on Wednesday.

Shortly after meeting with a group of Jewish students on Wednesday afternoon, Johnson held a press conference that was immediately and repeatedly interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.

Johnson was drowned out by protesters who booed and shouted "we can't hear you," "free Palestine" and "get the f*** off our campus" as the Republican attempted to speak in support of Israel and the Jewish students.

Views

In an opinion piece for Newsweek, Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian National Committee, wrote: "War Is More Offensive Than Protesters."

"If we should be outraged or wringing our hands over anything, it should be over the warmongering, genocidal actions of the Israeli government, and the role the United States government has played in destabilizing the Middle East and pitting these countries against each other. The fog of war tends to obscure everything around an issue, including the history of these conflicts," McArdle said.

Bassem Eid, a Palestinian human rights activist who lives in the West Bank, said Pro-Palestinian protesters are confused about the meaning of ceasefire.

"It has been chilling to see organizations that have recently been chanting 'ceasefire now'—always aimed at Israel, never at the Hamas terrorists who took more than 200 Israelis hostage that October day—turn to outright praise and promotion of Iran's violence," he wrote.

"Consider the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, which has involved itself in a number of anti-Israel rallies since Oct. 7 and has urged the public to side with Iran, stating: 'Iran has helped the Palestinian resistance, and we should stand with Iran just as we stand with Palestine,'"

What's Next?

At 4:21 p.m. ET, the USC Department of Public Safety issued a statement:

"There is still significant activity at the center of the UPC campus due to a demonstration. The gates are closed, so anyone coming to campus should be prepared to show an ID at the gates for class or for business. Please continue to avoid the center of campus unless you have a class."

Update 4/24/24, 5:35 p.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.