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Free Palestine: Police Arrest Scores Of Protesters Across US Varsities Over Campus Demonstrations 

Free Palestine: Police Arrest Scores Of Protesters Across US Varsities Over Campus Demonstrations 
April 25, 2024

At least 93 people had earlier been arrested at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles and were taken into custody on trespassing charges.

No fewer than 150 protesters have been arrested in locations across the United States, as protests against the war in Gaza intensify across university campuses.

It was learnt that the arrest was made at Emerson College, the Boston police told the BBC's US partner CBS News.

At least 93 people had earlier been arrested at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles and were taken into custody on trespassing charges.

Authorities said 34 people were arrested at where the protesters and police also clashed at the University of Texas in Austin.

BBC reports that universities across the US have seen a growing number of students walk out of class or try to set up encampments to protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. 

The latest arrests follow others at Columbia, Yale and New York University.

The arrests at USC were made as students gathered in Alumni Park - where the university's main-stage graduation ceremony is scheduled to take place next month. 

Reports added that the police officers in riot gear cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at the centre of the campus, preventing demonstrators from gathering.

Students received a 10-minute warning from police helicopters to disperse. Those who refused, were arrested on trespassing charges. While the protest was reported to have been largely peaceful at first, it then turned tense with the continued police presence.

According to the report, as police tried to detain one woman, protesters threw water bottles at them and chanted, "Let her go!"

Protesters gathered around the officers, drowning out their warnings with "free Palestine" chants. Students, some wearing kaffiyehs were holding "liberated zone" signs, banging drums.

Elsewhere in the country, Boston police told CBS that three officers had been injured in the action in that city - one of them seriously, though their condition was not life-threatening. No protesters were hurt, police added.

Students are said to have been camping out since Sunday, allegedly ignoring warnings to leave. Emerson College has not yet commented on the arrests. In a previous statement, it said it supported the right to peaceful protests - while urging activists to comply with the law.

Earlier, there were chaotic scenes on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin as hundreds of local and state police on horseback, holding batons, dispersed protesters.

Mounted police work to contain demonstrators protesting the war in Gaza at the University of Texas at Austin on April 24, 2024 in Austin, Texas

Social media footage shows officers pushing into the crowd, while warning demonstrators on loudspeakers to leave the premises or face arrest.

"I command you in the name of the people of the state of Texas to disperse," the announcement said.

Thirty-four people were arrested, officials said.

A photographer for Fox News 7 Austin was seen falling to the ground with his camera while surrounded by riot police. The US outlet later confirmed that the cameraman was arrested.

Other protesters were seen bundled to the ground by riot police. But soon afterwards around 300 demonstrators regrouped, sat on the grass under the school's iconic clock tower and chanted "free Palestine".

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