Protest at UC Irvine It escalated on Wednesday afternoon after protesters surrounded a lecture hall on campus.
The administration ordered students to stay away Physical Sciences Quad. As of 4 p.m., a university spokesman could not confirm whether any buildings on campus had been occupied by protesters. Law enforcement officers locked four research buildings. The university described the protest as “violent,” but did not say what type of violence occurred.
Video from the scene shows protesters building barricades outside the lecture hall with whatever items they can find.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol, Newport Beach, Laguna and Irvine police departments, responded to the campus to assist the UC Police Department.
KCAL News
Dozens of police vehicles were on campus after protesters began occupying the building. Several law enforcement officers in riot gear headed toward the building when an officer called out an unlawful assembly.
KCAL News
Along with the declaration, the law enforcement officers ordered the protesters to disperse, otherwise they would arrest them. Many of the protesters did not immediately leave the area outside the physical science lecture hall. Many wore masks, while others donned heavy hats and carried umbrellas for protection.
Earlier Wednesday, student protesters staged a demonstration dubbed “Nakba 76” and called on the administration to end its crackdown on students.
They also called for the university to be stripped of anything related to Israel, as well as other protests college campuses across the country.
At the beginning of this month, the police arrested more than 200 people Big camp at UCLA. In April, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested 93 people Similar protest at USC.