Demonstrators breach barriers, clash at UCLA as campus protests multiply: Updates

Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on the college Gaza war protests for Sunday, April 28. For the latest news on the protests see our live updates file for Monday, April 29.

"Physical altercations" occurred Sunday on the UCLA campus when demonstrators breached a security barrier set up to keep people protesting the Israeli war in Gaza separate from counterprotesters, the school said in a statement.

The clash came one day after arrests on at least four universities as demonstrations and days-long encampments in opposition to the war swept across the nation's college campuses. Students are calling for a cease-fire and want their schools to stop investing in Israeli firms that are involved with or profit from Israel's war against Hamas.

The protesters also want the U.S. to halt military aid to Israel's war effort.

“UCLA has a long history of being a place of peaceful protest, and we are heartbroken about the violence that broke out,” the school's vice chancellor for strategic communications, Mary Osako, said in a statement.

Though the Daily Bruin campus newspaper said one of its reporters was hit in the face with a flag, the Los Angeles Times called the demonstrations "large and noisy but mostly peaceful'' as campus police broke up minor scuffles. At the cross-town University of Southern California, the campus remains closed after 93 people were arrested during demonstrations Wednesday. The school has canceled its main graduation ceremony amid the turmoil.

Hundreds of protesters have been detained or arrested at more than a dozen schools from New York to California since a protest at Columbia University in New York City 10 days ago. Many school administrations have ordered the demonstrators removed, citing ordinances prohibiting the encampments, infiltration of the encampments by people with no connection to their universities and antisemitic chants that make Jewish students feel unsafe on campuses.

Student protest leaders insist the rallies have been peaceful.

US has long history of college protests: Here's what happened in the past

Developments:

∎ President Joe Biden is aware of the campus protests and the strong reactions the war in Gaza has evoked, national security spokesman John Kirby said Sunday on ABC News, adding the administration believes "people should have the ability to air their views and to share their perspectives publicly, but it has to be peaceful."

∎ Columbia released a statement late Saturday saying it was a "quiet day on campus" and that talks between university officials and student organizers were ongoing. "There is no truth to claims of an impending lockdown or evictions on campus," the statement said.

∎ Portland State University in Oregon will pause seeking or accepting gifts or grants from Boeing pending a review of complaints from "members of the PSU community," school President Ann Cudd said in a statement. Boeing, a major local employee, sells weapons to Israel.

∎ Activists rallied outside a hotel hosting the annual White House correspondent’s dinner Saturday night. They targeted Biden, who spoke at the event, for his support of Israel's military campaign.

∎ At Arizona State University, campus police arrested 69 protesters Saturday, most of whom were not students or staff of the school, ASU said in a statement.

Some punches but no arrests at UCLA protest

Pro-Israel counterdemonstrators have become a growing presence on campuses impacted by pro-Palestinian protests, and the two sides traded shoves, insults, and even some punches Sunday at UCLA.

The physical nature of the encounters was condemned by the school, which had acknowledged allowing some people from outside campus to participate in the demonstrations.

Reuters reported some punches were thrown in the clashes, and that afterward the pro-Palestinian protesters returned to the encampment, which now stretches to the east end of the iconic Royce Hall. According to a campus police representative, no arrests were made Sunday.

Green Party presidential hopeful arrested at protest

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein was among scores of protesters arrested Saturday at Washington University in St. Louis Stein posted video on the social media site X of herself being taken into custody. The school's site contained videos and photos of Saturday's Greater St. Louis Marathon.

"The demand from the encampment was specifically for the university to divest from Boeing, which manufactures munitions used in the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza at their nearby St. Charles facility," Stein said in a statement Sunday. "The Stein campaign supports the demands of the students and their peaceful protest and assembly on campus."

McConnell says school presidents, not National Guard, should deal with protesters

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-K.Y., argued Sunday that university presidents should be the first line of defense in controlling the wave of protests against the Israel-Hamas war that have erupted across college campuses in recent weeks. On Sunday's "Face the Nation" on CBS News, McConnell disagreed with some top Republicans on the issue, such as House Speaker Mike Johnson and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who issued calls to bring in the National Guard and local law enforcement to quell the protests.

"What needs to happen, at least at the beginning, is these university presidents need to get control of the situation, allow free speech and push back against antisemitism," McConnell said. "Why don't they all sit down and have a civil conversation rather than trying to dominate the talk? Civil discussion is what college education is supposed to be about."

– Melissa Cruz 

Northeastern University cites antisemitic slurs at protest

Northeastern University said 100 people were detained when an encampment was cleared late Saturday at the Boston school. Those who produced a student ID were released but will face disciplinary proceedings at the school. Those who did not produce a student ID were arrested, the school said.

"What began as a student demonstration two days ago, was infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation to Northeastern," the school said in a social media post. "Last night, the use of virulent antisemitic slurs, including 'Kill the Jews,' crossed the line. We cannot tolerate this kind of hate on our campus."

Video from the scene, however, appeared to show counter-protesters holding Israeli flags and suggesting a "Kill the Jews" chant that never gains traction.

23 arrested at Indiana University

The Indiana University police department in Bloomington said 23 protesters were arrested there. At least 60 Indiana State Police armed with riot shields, batons and other riot gear joined several IU police officers in breaking up an encampment the school says was illegal.

The Indiana Daily Student said arrested protesters were released without bond after being detained in the jail for about 90 minutes, with charges ranging from criminal trespass to resisting law enforcement. Hours later, nearly 40 people marched to the Musical Arts Center to protest what they said was a donor’s dinner, the Daily Student reported.

“Disclose, divest. We will not stop, we will not rest,” the group chanted. “Not another nickel, not another dime. No more money for Israel’s crimes.”

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Campus protests: Demonstrators breach barriers, clash at UCLA