OF THE
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Tensions have escalated and arrests have been made as protesters continue to stake out areas on the campuses of UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Occidental College, Sacramento State, San Francisco State, Cal Poly Humboldt and others. Some, however, have minimal disruption.
UC Irvine: Students faced off with campus police and were handed citations, police barricades were erected. Students have no plans to move or dismantle their tents.The group posted a banner listing their demands: "End 'violent extremism' funding, promise amnesty for student protesters, commit to an academic boycott of Israel and remove what the group calls Zionist programming."
UC Riverside: all operations on campus are proceeding as usual but blocking access to venues not tolerated.
Pitzer College: Students have been inhabiting an encampment of about 25 tents for five days, tensions between protesters and the administration have remained low. No college or local law enforcement have interfered.
Occidental College: 60 students set up an encampment with dozens of tents. A member of the Occidental chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine said: "We want to be as clandestine as possible to not be interrupted." So far a peaceful demonstration; a commitment to ensure any dialogue or demonstration remains safe and peaceful.
USC: Police arrested 93 people on suspicion of trespassing and cleared an encampment which was reestablished. One participant: "We are all here because at the end of the day, we believe in humanity."
Cal Poly Humboldt: Police arrested 25 people, including students and professors. Campus remains closed.
Comment: Amidst reasonable criticisms against Turkey and its continued relations with Israel despite the ongoing Gaza genocide, there is reason to believe that in other areas Turkey has really stepped up its efforts to rout Israel's malign influence and activities; and more so than other countries: