Students sprayed with tear gas as police move in to end protests
Bus loads of riot police have begun to force their way into a pro-Palestine encampment on the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in a second night of violent clashes.
Tear gas and flash bangs have been deployed as students form human chains and fight back with fire extinguishers – with dozens arrested.
Students attempted to fortify their barricades as California Highway Patrol officers tore them down and moved into the encampment.
Los Angeles Police previously made dispersal announcements to protestors – after a tense standoff with protestors, they retreated, before bus loads of police were seen entering the camp again.
Those within the walls of the encampment are wearing helmets, goggles and prepping medical aide – as students are being shot with rubber bullets.
Those within the walls of the encampment were heard chanting ‘We’re not leaving!’ and ‘Shame on you LAPD’.
Earlier reports appeared to show snipers on surrounding buildings near the encampment – identified by Metro.co.uk as being in Royce Hall, next to the square where protestors are gathered.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter is currently circling the campus, from which announcements are being made.
The Daily Bruin, UCLA’s student paper, reported that LAPD have threatened to arrest their reporters.
Yesterday, violent scenes began unfolding at UCLA – with footage showing a protestor being hit by a wooden pallet someone threw at him.
More than 1,000 protesters have been arrested over the last two weeks on university campuses in Texas, Utah, Virginia, North Carolina, New Mexico, Connecticut, Louisiana, California and New Jersey.
The reasons behind the protest vary slightly, but overall agree that the US should end military support to Israel.
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Some university students, such as those at Columbia, are demanding their schools sever any financial ties to Israel and other companies involved directly in the conflict.
The Universities of Manchester and Sheffield have set up similar encampments to protest in favour of Palestine – but those demonstrations have remained peaceful.
Further protests in Newcastle, Bristol and Leeds are expected to follow in the coming days as students in the UK campaign for their universities to divest from firms that supply arms to Israel.
At Goldsmiths University in London students stormed the library and occupied the first two floors overnight. Protests appear to be spreading in London.
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