Pro-Palestinian rally in LA sparks clashes with police
STORY: Demonstrators chanted, "Free, free Palestine" as they marched and carried tents on campus.
As tensions flared, police were seen pushing back protesters, some of whom fell to the ground.
“We want the university to disclose its financial holdings and divest from its relationships with financial institutions. And we want the university to recognize and acknowledge to its student body that there is a genocide happening to our families in Gaza,” a protest organizer who wanted to remain anonymous told Reuters.
Protesters surrounded a vehicle where at least one protester had been detained by police and chanted, "Let him go, let him go."
Police officials called on the Los Angeles Police Department to try and tame the situation. The detained protester was later released to the delight of the Pro-Palestinian protesters.
The war in Gaza continues to reverberate through U.S. university campuses where students have camped out in tents as they protested Israel's actions in Gaza.
“We don't intend to back down unless we are faced [with] incredibly great risk to our occupiers. As you can see, the community is rallying behind us. And as we've seen, like students at other schools have shown incredible bravery and incredible strength and continuing their occupations in the face of incredible repression from the universities,” said another lead organizer who also wanted to remain anonymous.
Pro-Palestinian groups have called on universities to end investments in companies that support or profit from Israel's military actions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
