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At least 14 arrests made at Tulane, including 2 students, as campus encampment is removed
From CNN's Antoinette Radford
Tulane University has confirmed that protesters have been removed from its campus in a statement released Wednesday.
In the statement, the university said students participating in the "illegal encampment" were given "numerous warnings" before officers from the New Orleans Police Department and Louisiana State Police removed them.
The university noted that "the overwhelming majority of the protestors are unaffiliated with our community."
Police arrested at least 14 protesters — of whom two were Tulane students, the statement said. Earlier this week, six people were arrested, including one student for "trespassing, resisting arrest and battery on an officer," according to the statement.
Seven students have been suspended, the statement said, adding that students who participated in the protest "have also been referred to the Office of Student Conduct for immediate disciplinary action."
"We have supported numerous lawful demonstrations throughout this year. However, we remain opposed to trespassing, hate speech, antisemitism and bias against religious or ethnic groups. Harassment, intimidation, violence, and other criminal acts on any of our campuses are not acceptable," the statement said.
Wednesday is the last day of classes for most students, according to the school, and classes scheduled in three closed buildings should be conducted remotely. Police and security will remain on campus for the remainder of the semester.
Reports of pipes, Tasers and pepper spray in UCLA clashes, student says
From CNN's Emma Tucker
An editor for the University of California, Los Angeles student newspaper, the Daily Bruin, told CNN she has heard reports of pipes, Tasers and pepper spray being used in the violent confrontation between pro-Palestinian protesters and Israel supporters on Tuesday night.
“The counter protester activity here at UCLA has been sort of constant throughout the days the camp has existed,” Anna Dai-Liu, an editor for UCLA’s newspaper, the Daily Bruin, told CNN.
By 11 pm PT Tuesday night, many more people appeared and began pushing into the barricades, which is when the fireworks went off and tear gas was sprayed, Dai-Liu said.
Some Daily Bruin reporters who were all standing on the counter protester side were gassed and assaulted, but it’s unclear who released the tear gas, she added.
“There’s also been reports of pepper spray and bear spray. As of the moment, it’s very difficult for us to confirm which sides these sprays are coming from, but we’re hearing it’s coming more from the counter protester side,” Dai-Liu said.
There have also been reports of pipes, Tasers used in the violent altercations, she added.
The student newspaper editor said she’s heard from sources on the ground the violence was one-sided but stressed that is “difficult to ascertain among the chaos that is still going on.”
Dai-Liu said it’s still unclear when the camp will be cleared from campus, as they wait for more announcements from UCLA officials.
“It has been a rather chaotic day of events at UCLA. We’re not quite sure, either, as to how it escalated to this degree. It’s not something we have seen yet on campus, but it is definitely violent in ways previous demonstrations by the counter protesters weren’t,” Dai-Liu said.
NYPD deciding how long it will stay on Columbia's campus, law enforcement official says
From CNN's Mark Morales and Gloria Pazmino
Asked about the request from Columbia University to remain on campus until mid-May, a law enforcement official told CNN the department is still determining how long and in what capacity it will stay.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York Police Department Commissioner Edward A. Caban and other officials will hold a news briefing at 9 a.m. “in regard to the Columbia University and City College demonstrations,” according to public schedules.
As a reminder, more than 200 protesters were arrested Tuesday at Columbia University and City College of New York, according to law enforcement sources.
Most of the arrests were made at Columbia, including about two dozen protesters who police say tried to prevent officers from entering the campus, a law enforcement official said.
We'll bring you the latest updates here as we get them.
More than 200 arrested at Columbia University, law enforcement sources say
From CNN's John Miller and Mark Morales
New York Police Department officers arrested around 230 people at Columbia University on Tuesday after police in riot gear breached a building on campus in which pro-Palestinian protesters had barricaded themselves, clearing the property, law enforcement sources tell CNN.
There were dozens of additional arrests made several blocks north at the City College of New York, the sources say.
Cal Poly Humboldt announces "modified" commencement after occupied buildings cleared
From CNN's Emma Tucker
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata announced it will hold a modified in-person commencement on May 11 after law enforcement regained control of two buildings early Tuesday following a multi-day occupation that prompted a campus lockdown.
More details on the modified commencement schedule will be announced later in the week, the university said.
A shelter in place advisory was implemented by the university this week due to “criminal activity on campus," it said in a news release.
Early Tuesday, law enforcement officers cleared and secured two halls -- Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East -- and arrested 31 people, the university said.
Cal Poly officials lifted the shelter in place order Tuesday afternoon but continued the “hard closure of campus” until May 10.
“Access to campus is restricted, and individuals are not permitted to enter or be on campus without prior authorization. Supervisors will contact those employees who are authorized to be on campus,” the university said.
UCLA protesters use debris and fireworks in overnight skirmishes
From CNN’s Andy Rose
Protesters faced off overnight on the campus of The University of California, Los Angeles, fighting each other with boards and debris as tensions escalated.
Video from RMG News recorded late Tuesday night showed a number of people in masks on the perimeter of the encampment barricades, some throwing metal and wood items while others blocked the debris with plywood and umbrellas. Others were seen brandishing a tennis racket and a skateboard.
At one point, the group approaching the barricades began chanting “USA!” although it was not immediately clear what cause they were supporting. One of the few unmasked protesters could heard yelling across the barricade, “You gonna block Jewish kids? Let’s see. We’re fighting back, b----!”
Some protesters engaged in nuisance efforts, including tossing fireworks into the crowd, playing loud music and aiming laser pointers at people. A handful of brief physical skirmishes broke out between protesters.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the scene early Wednesday morning, providing support to the UCLA Police Department.
Aerial footage from CNN affiliate KABC showed a line of police along the street in front of Dickson Court, preventing additional people from entering the scene of the clashes.
Tulane University classes go remote, police in riot gear on campus amid protests
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
Some classes scheduled on Wednesday at Tulane University in New Orleans will be conducted remotely as "the unlawful demonstration continues" on campus,according to a statementfrom university officials.
"This encampment is on the edge of campus and heavily patrolled by police," said astatement from the school.
The university said a "manned police barricade separates this area from the rest of the university."
"Six arrests have been made and seven suspensions, with another one pending, have been issued to students who have participated in this unlawful demonstration," Tulane President Michael A. Fitts said in a statement.
Of the six people that have been arrested, one was a student, accordingto Tulane.
Video from CNN affiliate WDSU shows officers, many in riot gear, standing in frontof protesters who were chanting and banging drums.
"We are also actively looking into reports of university employees participating in the demonstration," Fitts said.
University officials warned employees who "participate in the unlawful protest will be subject to disciplinary referral and action by Tulane University, up to and including termination of employment."
CNN has reached out to Tulane and the New Orleans Police Department for comment.
University of Arizona police use chemical irritant as campus protests continue
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
University of Arizona Police deployed "chemical irritant munitions" and urged residents to avoid the area as protests continue on campus, according to posts on X by the university's police department (UAPD).
Overnight, UAPD responded "to an unlawful assembly," the posts said.
Police asked protesters on campus to "follow orders of police and disperse immediately" before deploying the irritant, according to the posts.
"Continue to avoid area, police action being taken," UAPD urged.
CNN has reached out to university officials and police for more information.
Police are on campus at Columbia and UCLA. Here’s the latest on the protests disrupting US universities
CNN staff
More than 100 people were arrested at Columbia University and City College of New York on Tuesday night, according to a law enforcement official, as protests against Israel's bombardment of Gaza intensified across college campuses nationwide.
Police in riot gear entered Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall and used flash bangs when breaching the building, in which pro-Palestinian protesters had barricaded themselves. Less than two hours after officers entered the school’s campus in Morningside Heights, Columbia University’s property was cleared.
Columbia has asked the NYPD to remain on campus until May 17, two days after its graduation ceremony, but protesters remain defiant.
Columbia has been the epicenter, but protests have been roiling universities nationwide.
In Los Angeles, police have arrived on campus at UCLA, mayor Karen Bass said early on Wednesday. Before the deployment, pro-Palestinian protesters and Israel supporterswere clashing at UCLA,according to multiple reports.
"The violence unfolding this evening at UCLA is absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable,"the mayor saidin a post on X.
Here are the latest developments on other campuses
- University of North Carolina Chapel Hill: At least 36 protesters were detained at an encampment. Police officers were seen physically pushing back protesters. Demonstrators took down the campus US flag and replaced it with a Palestinian flag.
- Florida State University: Five people, among them two students, were arrested during a demonstration Tuesday, the school said.
- University of Texas-Austin: Police presence on campus and arrests are “dwindling” law enforcement resources, Travis County prosecutor Delia Garza said, and called for the universityto initiate a compromise with student protest organizers. Nearly 80 people were arrested on campus Monday and Garza’s office is processing at least 65 criminal trespass cases, she said.
- University of Southern California: President Carol Folt engaged in a second meeting with protesters on campus, but no agreement was reached
- Occupied buildings and security: Portland State University President Ann Cudd asked students to voluntarilyleave the library they are occupying and said the university is in touch with police about removing students.
- Cleared encampments: Some universities, such as Yale and Brown, have cleared protest encampments after reaching agreements with students. Brown University student protesters have reached an agreement to disband their encampment after the university agreed to hold a vote on divestment from companies that support Israel.
