May 4, 2024 - Campus protest updates

University of Virginia says 25 arrested for trespassing following clearing of pro-Palestinian encampment on campus

From CNN's Nic. F. Anderson and Samantha Beech

At least 25 people were arrested for trespassing Saturday, the University of Virginia said, after police were called in to disperse a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus.

In a statement, UVA said those arrested were taken to the Albemarle County Regional Jail. The university said it is still waiting for confirmation regarding how many of the 25 arrested were affiliated with UVA.

The statement said the University of Virginia "responded today to a demonstration near the University Chapel following protesters' multiple University police violations and subsequent violent conduct."

CNN has reached out to the UVA Encampment for Gaza multiple times for comment.

When asked for examples of violent conduct from demonstrators, a university spokesperson referred CNN to its statement, which indicated during the police action Saturday, "authorities were again met with agitation, chanting and violent gestures such as swinging of objects."

The campus was declared "stable" around 4 p.m., UVA said, after police were seen clearing protesters from the area.

Earlier this week, a group called UVA Encampment for Gaza posted a statement on Instagram calling for the university to divest from Israel.

In its statement, the university said protests earlier in the week were peaceful, with no disruptions to university activities. A request to remove tents near the UVA chapel Tuesday was honored and previous demonstrations complied with university policies, the statement said.

The statement said on Friday, UVA officials offered to continue discussions about university investments, adding, "The University agreed to the group's final request to allow students, faculty and staff to express their support for Palestine without risking administrative discipline, provided that such expressive activity occurred within the limits of the laws and UVA policies."

UVA said by Friday evening, "a crowd occupied the demonstration area for a vigil and began erecting several tents and canopies prohibited by University policy."

Saturday morning, the university said its chief of police told the group they would be given 15 minutes to voluntarily remove the tents. After several further warnings throughout the day, UVA said, "Due to the demonstrators' increasing resistance and refusal to comply with the declaration by promptly leaving the designated area, additional resources from Virginia State Police were requested to assist with enforcing the declaration of an unlawful assembly around 2:45 p.m."

Virginia State Police referred CNN to the University and its police as the lead agency on campus. State Police were there in "an assist capacity" Saturday, a spokesperson said.

Police arrest dozens in demonstration at Art Institute of Chicago, including students

From CNN's Sara Smart

Approximately 50 people were arrested outside the Art Institute of Chicago during a demonstration on Saturday, according to the institute.

A demonstration, including some School of Art Institute of Chicago students, started on Saturday morning in the North Garden of the museum, according to an institute spokesperson.

As time went on, protesters "shoved a security officer and stole their keys to the museum, blocked emergency exits, and barricade gates," according to the spokesperson.

Officers offered a new location to the group to continue their protest, but they refused. "During multiple rounds of negotiations, SAIC student protesters were promised amnesty from academic sanction and trespassing charges if they agreed to relocate," the spokesperson said.

Negotiations continued for about five hours and an agreement was never reached.

Chicago Police decided to end the protest in "the safest way possible" and arrested approximately 50 people, according to the spokesperson.

CNN has reached out to the Chicago Police Department for additional information.

Schools hold graduation ceremonies as pro-Palestinian protests continue. Here's what you should know

From CNN staff

Graduation ceremonies are taking place at colleges and universities in the US this weekend after weeks of protests that saw more than 2,100 people arrested on more than 40 campuses across at least 25 states.

Here are headlines from Saturday that you should know:

• The University of Michigan: Pro-Palestinian protesters were removed from the university's main commencement ceremony in Ann Arbor after they briefly interrupted the proceedings. No one was arrested, according to Melissa Overton, the university's deputy police chief and public information officer. A protest also disrupted a smaller ceremony on the campus Friday.
• The University of Virginia: Police have cleared out pro-Palestinian protesters and taken down tents near the center of the Charlottesville campus. A line of officers in riot gear approached the group of protesters Saturday afternoon, grabbing away umbrellas and tossing them aside, before pushing forward to a line of tents and canopies, video from CNN affiliate WVIR showed. Officers could be seen detaining some of the protesters and pulling apart the structures.
• The University of Southern California: USC is increasing security and Los Angeles Police Department officers will remain on campus through commencement, the school's Department of Public Safety told CNN on Saturday. The school sparked controversy when it rescinded valedictorian Asna Tabassum's invitation to speak at commencement, and later canceled its main graduation ceremony altogether. USC now plans to hold a "family graduate celebration" on May 9, the school announced Friday.
• Schools abroad: Protests in solidarity with people facing war in Gaza also continue across university campuses in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with some schools witnessing encampments similar to those on campuses in the US. In Ireland, students at the prestigious Trinity College Dublin piled up benches to blockade access to a popular tourist attraction, the Book of Kells. In the UK, London's Goldsmiths University has conceded to demands of its students, who had briefly set up an encampment in the faculty's library, the university's student-led "Goldsmiths for Palestine" said in a post on X on Friday.

Police clear out protesters and take down tents at University of Virginia

From CNN's Eva Rothenberg, Nic F. Anderson, Samantha Beech and Matt Meyer

Police have cleared out pro-Palestinian protesters and taken down tents near the center of University of Virginia's campus.

A line of officers in riot gear approached the group of protesters Saturday afternoon, grabbing away umbrellas and tossing them aside before pushing forward to a line of tents and canopies, video from CNN affiliate WVIR showed. Officers could be seen pulling apart the structures and appeared to detain some of the demonstrators.

Around 4 p.m. ET, the university said on its website that the situation was "stable" and that "police remain on scene."

The UVA Department of Safety and Security had earlier announced on X that the protest was declared an "unlawful assembly," and urged students to avoid the area near the Rotunda and Chapel at the center of campus.

CNN has reached out to the university and local law enforcement for further comment.

Some context: Over the last several days, pro-Palestinian protesters have gathered for demonstrations at the Charlottesville campus in a "picnic-like environment," without a significant number of tents or other temporary structures being assembled, CNN's Polo Sandoval reports. The school had previously stated that tents would be in violation of campus policy and prompt a response from officials.

In the last 24 hours or so, there have been more signs that demonstrators could be assembling an encampment similar to those seen at other universities, according to Sandoval.

Earlier this week, a group called UVA Encampment for Gaza posted a statement on Instagram calling for the university to divest from Israel.

"UVA administration has militarized our campus. But what did they do when white supremacists attacked Charlottesville in 2017? Nothing. Call and email now. Flood the lines and tell them to stand down," the statement reads.

This post has been updated with more details about the police activity at UVA.

Additional security, police on USC campus through commencement, school says

From CNN's Raja Razek

The University of Southern California is increasing security and Los Angeles Police Department officers will remain on campus through commencement, USC Department of Public Safety told CNN on Saturday. 

"As we approach commencement, we have added more private security ambassadors, and we have stationed LAPD officers on campus. This will continue through commencement," USC Department of Public Safety Assistant Chief David Carlisle said in an email.

CNN previously reported that USC will hold a "family graduate celebration" on Thursday, May 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

On April 25, USC canceled the main-stage graduation, which was scheduled for May 10, because it would take too much time to process the expected 65,000 attendees given their new safety measures. Those measures were implemented following dozens of arrests on campus in connection with the ongoing protests and the decision to rescind valedictorian Asna Tabassum's invitation to speak at the ceremony.

Students are also protesting on campuses in the UK and Ireland

From CNN's Eve Brennan and Niamh Kennedy in London

Protests in solidarity with people facing war in Gaza continue across university campuses in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with some schools witnessing encampments similar to those on campuses in the US over the past week. 

In Ireland, students at the prestigious Trinity College Dublin piled up benches to blockade access to a popular tourist attraction, the Book of Kells. Over 40 tents had also been set up, the president-elect of the university's student union said on X Friday.

In light of the student protest, the college said it had decided to close the attraction from Saturday to Monday. 

In the UK, London's Goldsmiths University has conceded to demands of its university students, who had protested in solidarity with people in Gaza for six months and briefly set up an encampment in the faculty's library, the university's student-led "Goldsmiths for Palestine" said in a post on X on Friday.

The group said its university had agreed to "a new ethical investment policy," divesting from funding associated with Israel. Demands to divest have also been central to many of the US protests.

Students at other universities in the UK — namely Newcastle, Warwick, Leeds and Bristol — have also set up campus encampments in recent days.

Protesters removed from University of Michigan commencement

From CNN's Whitney Wild, Andi Babineau and Amanda Musa

Pro-Palestinian protesters were removed from University of Michigan's main commencement ceremony after briefly interrupting the proceedings Saturday.

No one was arrested, according to Melissa Overton, the university's deputy police chief and public information officer.

Carlos Del Toro, the 78th US secretary of the Navy, was addressing the crowd at the time of the interruption and emphasized the importance of the right to protest peacefully.

"I'm extremely proud as a Cuban-American who came to this country as an immigrant and who also chose to serve for 26 years in uniform to again protect the liberties of all Americans to protest peacefully in this country," Del Toro said.

The protesters were removed shortly after.

Photos from the commencement show that planes also flew banners with opposing messages over the ceremony. One read, "Divest from Israel," while the other said, "Stand with Israel."

Some context: Commencements at the University of Michigan are ongoing with programs hosting separate ceremonies with distinguished speakers. Saturday's massive event at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor was the spring graduation ceremony for the whole university.

There will be designated areas for protests outside ceremony venues throughout the weekend, the University of Michigan said on its website, noting all commencement events will include security screenings, prohibit banners and flags, and be monitored by volunteers who will immediately "respond to disruptions, beginning with warnings."

A ceremony for the university's School of Music, Theatre and Dance was also interrupted Friday.

This post has been updated to reflect information from the university's police department.