UC Irvine Resumes In-Person Classes After Clearing Pro-Palestinian Encampment

University of California Regents MeetingPhoto by© Provided by The Associated Press

IRVINE, CA (LAI) – Classes at UC Irvine will return to in-person instruction today following the clearance of a pro-Palestinian encampment and occupation of a lecture hall. The incident involved a large deployment of law enforcement officers, marking what Chancellor Howard Gillman called "a sad day for our university."

The encampment, which was set up over two weeks ago near the Physical Sciences Lecture Hall, had remained largely peaceful until Wednesday. However, tensions escalated when protesters surrounded the building, prompting campus police to request assistance from Orange County sheriff's deputies and other local agencies​ (Home // Office of the Chancellor // UCI)​​ (Times of San Diego)​.

During the operation, 47 individuals were arrested, including two self-identified UCI faculty members. Among those arrested, 19 had no university affiliation, while 26 were students and two were employees. They were charged with failing to disperse after police orders and, in some cases, trespassing​ (Home // Office of the Chancellor // UCI)​.

Chancellor Gillman emphasized that the encampment had violated university policies but initially did not warrant police intervention. He expressed disappointment over the escalation, which he described as an assault on the rights of other students and the university's mission. Despite his efforts to resolve the situation peacefully, the encampment's escalation necessitated police involvement​ (Home // Office of the Chancellor // UCI)​.

The protesters, part of the UCI Divest movement, issued demands for the university to divest from companies supporting Israel and to address alleged human rights violations. The university engaged in negotiations with the protest organizers, but the situation intensified following the issuance of suspension notices to several students involved in the protest​ (Times of San Diego)​.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer reiterated the importance of peaceful assembly while warning that failure to obey police orders constitutes a crime. Supervisor Don Wagner praised the law enforcement response, urging students to respect the university's declaration of unlawful assembly and return to class​ (Times of San Diego)​.

For more information on the events and the university's response, visit the UC Irvine Chancellor's Office and the Times of San Diego.

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