2024 University of Southern California pro-Palestinian campus occupation

{{short description|2024 occupation protest in Los Angeles, California}}

{{Infobox civil conflict

| place = Los Angeles, California, United States

| title = 2024 USC pro-Palestinian campus occupation

| partof = the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses

| date = April 24 – May 5, 2024
({{Age in years, months, weeks and days |month1=4 |day1=24 |year1=2024|month2=5 |day2=5 |year2=2024}})

| arrests = 93

}}

On April 24, 2024, an occupation protest began at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California. The protest was a part of pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses campaigning for divestment from Israel.{{cite web |last1=Arzán-Montañez |first1=Bianca |title=Pro-Palestinian protesters occupy Alumni Park |url=https://dailytrojan.com/2024/04/25/pro-palestinian-protesters-occupy-alumni-park/ |website=The Daily Trojan |access-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426010538/https://dailytrojan.com/2024/04/25/pro-palestinian-protesters-occupy-alumni-park/ |archive-date=April 26, 2024 |date=April 25, 2024}} USC cancelled their main commencement ceremony over safety concerns about protests.{{cite web |last1=Silva |first1=Daniella |title=As USC cancels commencement, Columbia students worry theirs could be disrupted |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/usc-cancels-commencement-columbia-students-worry-disrupted-rcna149205 |website=NBC news |access-date=May 6, 2024 |date=May 25, 2024}} The encampment was cleared by the Los Angeles Police Department on the morning of May 5.{{cite web |last1=Orellana Hernandez |first1=Angie |last2=Smith |first2=Hayley |last3=Kaleem |first3=Jaweed |last4=Fry |first4=Hannah |title=Police remove tents, clear USC pro-Palestinian encampment; no arrests made |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-05/la-me-usc-camp |website=The Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505120350/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-05/la-me-usc-camp |archive-date=May 5, 2024 |date=May 5, 2024}}

Background

On April 17, protesters at Columbia University had begun an occupation protest on its campus to protest the university's investments in Israel amid the Gaza war. The protest, as well as the police response, sparked nationwide protests at university campuses.{{cite web |last=Anderson |first=Brooke |date=24 April 2024 |title=Columbia University students galvanise worldwide pro-Palestinian demonstrations |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/columbia-students-inspire-worldwide-pro-palestinian-protests |access-date=30 April 2024 |website=newarab.com |publisher=New Arab |archive-date=30 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430194252/https://www.newarab.com/news/columbia-students-inspire-worldwide-pro-palestinian-protests |url-status=live }}

On April 15, USC announced they would cancel the upcoming commencement speech by pro-Palestinian valedictorian Asna Tabassum, citing security concerns. Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Andrew T. Guzman stated the decision came after debate over Tabassum being chosen to give the speech took on an "alarming tenor", saying it would have posed a security risk. The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the speech's cancellation.{{cite web |last1=Antczak |first1=John |last2=Watson |first2=Julie |title=Citing safety, USC makes rare cancellation of speech by valedictorian who supported Palestinians |url=https://apnews.com/article/usc-muslim-valedictorian-speech-canceled-palestinians-israel-7b481db2d4e0db040b091bf8457f0b3f |website=The Associated Press |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=April 16, 2024}} Days later the school also cancelled the planned commencement speech by director Jon M. Chu, as well as the planned granting of honorary degrees to Billie Jean King, Maria Rosario Jackson, and Marcia McNutt.{{cite web |last1=Dunn |first1=Jack |title=Jon M. Chu's Commencement Speech Canceled by USC Amid Valedictorian Controversy |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/jon-m-chu-usc-commencement-speech-canceled-1235977411/ |website=Variety |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=April 20, 2024}}

Timeline

= April 24 =

The encampment was set up at Alumni Park on April 24. Officers from the USC Police and the Los Angeles Police Department arrested 93 people on the first night of the protest. In addition, USC closed off campus to the general public.{{cite web |title=Dozens of pro-Palestine protesters arrested at USC following demonstrations |url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/tensions-rise-at-usc-as-pro-palestine-protesters-clash-with-police/3396426/ |website=NBC 4 Los Angeles |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=April 24, 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Sharp |first1=Julie |last2=Rodriguez |first2=Matthew |title=USC closes its campus as LAPD arrests at least 93 pro-Palestinian protesters |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/pro-palestine-protestors-at-uscs-alumni-park-are-forced-to-clear-tents-by-campus-police/ |website=CBS News |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=April 24, 2024}}

= April 25 =

USC announced they would cancel their main graduation ceremony.{{cite web |last1=Dazio |first1=Stefanie |title=USC's move to cancel commencement amid protests draws criticism from students, alumni |url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestine-war-campus-protests-usc-cff0c1e59fc6164f615a2686d7f1b401 |website=The Associated Press |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=April 25, 2024}} The university later announced they would hold a "Trojan Family" event for graduates at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The event was set for May 9, a day before when the graduation was scheduled.{{cite web |last1=Solis |first1=Nathan |title=After cancelling commencement, USC will host event at L.A. Coliseum, rolls out new campus security |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-03/usc-shores-up-campus-limits-access-before-commencement |website=The Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503162031/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-03/usc-shores-up-campus-limits-access-before-commencement |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |date=May 3, 2024}}

= May 5 =

Around a hundred LAPD officers raided and cleared the encampment at approximately 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 5.{{cite web |last1=Yang |first1=Maya |title=Police dismantle Palestinian solidarity encampment at USC |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/05/police-palestinian-solidarity-camp-usc |website=The Guardian |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=May 5, 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Aggarwal |first1=Mithil |title=Campus protests: LAPD officers gather to clear USC campus; university warns of possible arrests |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/campus-protests-lapd-usc-cleared-rcna150750 |website=NBC News |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=May 5, 2024}} No arrests were made.{{cite web |last1=McKay |first1=Rich |title=L.A. police clear USC pro-Palestinian encampment, make no arrests |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/los-angeles-police-begin-clearing-usc-pro-palestinian-encampment-2024-05-05/ |website=Reuters |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=May 5, 2024}}